An Indiana man charged with killing his father after a series of heated disagreements also allegedly cut off his head, and then carried it around in a plastic bag, according to court documents and video clips.
Bryce Winnecke was arrested on Friday following an hours-long standoff with law enforcement at his mother’s house in Jeffersonville, according to WLKY. He’s facing counts of murder and abuse of a corpse in connection with the grisly slaying of his father, 73-year-old Erich Winnecke. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
During his initial court appearance on Tuesday, Winnecke’s defense filed several motions including notices of their plans to use an insanity defense or a defense of mental disease or defect, WHAS 11 reported.
“The alleged facts of the case contained in the within probable cause affidavit may indicate some kind of psychiatric break and/or mental disease or defect,” his attorneys said.
Two days before his arrest, Winnecke’s father told his ex-wife, Ann Winnecke — who is also the suspect’s mother — their son had been acting “delusional” and “very weird.” The next day, Erich stopped responding to her texts, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by local media outlets.
Then on 9:56 a.m. on Friday, she called authorities and requested a welfare check, during which officers discovered Erich’s decapitated body inside his home.
Authorities said they later found the head in a plastic bag in a “secret room” under the stairs following the suspected killer’s arrest.
Ann told police the father and son had been involved in “heated debates” prior to Erich’s death. The specifics of their arguments were not provided, but the topic was an “ongoing source of serious contention,” according to the affidavit.
Winnecke is currently being held in the Clark County Jail.
Originally Published:
