CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA: Christopher Chase a 32-year-old man from Casa Grande, Arizona is accused of the gruesome murder of his own father, Thomas Chase, 57. He allegedly shot his father during a physical altercation and then dismembered his body on July 24.
He then burned the remains in a 55-gallon metal barrel at a different location, where he was spotted by firefighters. He also had taken five people hostage. His mother and wife of the victim Melissa Chase is accused of helping her son dispose of his body.
Who is Christopher Chase?
When the neighborhood firemen responded to a complaint of a building fire at a residence at 200 North Brown Avenue just before 1:45 am, they discovered the homicide. First responders arrived at the scene and noticed someone scurrying from the house. “Firefighters yelled for the subject to stop and return, but he continued to flee the area,” cops said per a statement from Casa Grande Police Department.
Firefighters on the scene found "portions of a human body" after putting out the flames in a 55-gallon metal barrel. The case was subsequently turned over to the police. About 30 minutes later, Christopher Chase reportedly acknowledged burning a person and escaping the firemen while making a 911 call from a residence on North Morrison Avenue.
The 32-year-old suspect was later found to have held two males, ages 68 and 41, and a lady, 57, at gunpoint at the home on North Morrison Avenue. According to the police report, "Christopher demanded keys to their car before ultimately calling 911 to turn himself in."
Who is Melissa Chase? The mother who helped her son cover up the murder.
There were no physical injuries among the hostages. Investigators have now concluded that Christopher Chase and his father got into a physical altercation on Saturday. As a result, the son is accused of shooting and killing his father and then dismembering his body. An instant motive was not immediately known. Melissa Chase is the 56-year-old mother of Christopher Chase and the wife of Thomas Chase. She is also facing charges for her role in the murder case. She allegedly helped her son conceal and clean up the evidence of the killing at their home. "Further investigation has determined Christopher was aided by his 56-year-old mother, Melissa Lynne Chase, in the concealment and cleanup of evidence", cops said as per New York Post.
What are the charges against the mother-son duo?
Charges against the son include murder concealment of a dead body, kidnapping, aggravated assault, burglary, and tampering with evidence. Because of her suspected involvement in the murder's cover-up, his mother is being kept in custody on suspicion of concealment of a dead body and tampering with evidence for her alleged role in the attempted cover-up of the murder. Melissa Chase's bond has been set at $500,000 while Christopher Chase is still being held without bond at the Pinal County Adult Detention Facility. On August 1, the mother and son pair are scheduled to appear in court.
