An elderly couple and their dog were allegedly decapitated by their own son, who cops say fled the scene of his California mobile home park covered in blood.
Officials with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said they responded to a call at around 7.30am on Tuesday to reports of a ‘domestic incident.’
When they arrived on the scene of the San Juan Mobile Estates community in San Juan Capistrano, investigators said they came upon a ‘horrific scene which included the decapitated and mutilated bodies’ of an elderly man and woman ‘as well as a decapitated dog belonging to the married couple.’
Police have since identified the victims as Antoinette Gerdvil, 79, and her husband Ronald Gerdvil, 77.
It is believed they were killed by their 41-year-old son, Joseph Gerdvil, who lived with his parents in the mobile home and was allegedly found covered in blood nearby.
Joseph Gerdvil, 41, is accused of killing and decapitating his parents, Antoinette, 79 and Ronald, 77 as well as their dog on Tuesday morning
Investigators said they came upon a ‘horrific scene which included the decapitated and mutilated bodies’ of an elderly man and woman ‘as well as a decapitated dog belonging to the married couple’
Deputies explained that just minutes after they stumbled upon the gruesome scene, they received reports of a ‘bloody male’ chasing down a maintenance worker in the same mobile home community.
Police now allege Joseph stole the maintenance worker’s golf cart, before an unidentified deputy located him near a bike trail and shot him multiple times.
He was treated on the scene until the Orange County Fire Authority arrived and transported him to a local hospital, where he is listed in critical but stable condition.
When he is medically cleared, the sheriff’s office says the 41-year-old will be booked on two counts of homicide – and will likely face additional charges and enhancements.
A motive for the brutal decapitations remains unclear, and authorities gave no explanation for what prompted the deputy to shoot Joseph.
Neighbors have described the family as friendly and quiet
But neighbor David Desmond said he saw Joseph fighting with his father the day before.
He described to Fox 11 how the younger Gerdvil was ‘in his face’ and ‘looked angry’ while confronting his father on Monday.
Another neighbor, Bob Demario, also claimed Joseph ‘had a drug issue.’
‘That’s why he lived there and they kept him there,’ Demario claimed.
Online, Joseph made a number of unhinged posts about Jehova’s Witnesses and posted dissonance music on YouTube – including one on Monday entitled Shots Fired and another named Pope on a Rope, with a picture of the pope being hanged.
Others described the family as friendly and quiet.
‘The lady that lived there walked her dog all of the time in the neighborhood,’ Tammy Pavese said. ‘Everybody knew who he was.’
Victoria Alford also said Antoinette and Ronald were a ‘very sweet couple.
‘And at that age to tragically be murdered by your own son is just tragic, period,’ she said.
