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A Florida father used a chainsaw to murder his teenage son in a mobile home, in a crime described by police as “horrific”.
Stephen Thomas Rodda, 37, was arrested Monday in connection with the murder of 16-year-old Stephen Lee Rodda inside the Polk County mobile home where the victim’s grandfather lived.
Police did not reveal the motive for the murder, but Sheriff Grady Judd described the father as “a mean, mean person.”
The 16-year-old’s grandfather left the house on Monday morning to visit his wife in rehab and saw Stephen Thomas outside when he returned home around 11am.
The father told the teenager’s grandfather, “I wouldn’t get into this if I were you. I killed someone. You may need to call the police.
Stephen Thomas Rodda, 37, has been charged with the murder of his 16-year-old son using a power saw at a home in Polk County, Florida.
Stephen Lee Rodda, 16, was found dead in his grandparents’ kitchen. He dreamed of becoming a technician and was about to start working at Burger King.
Stephen Lee lived with his grandfather to help him while his wife was in rehab.
The teenager dreamed of becoming an electrician and had to start working at Burger King to earn money to buy a car, Judd said on Monday afternoon.
“Stephan Rodda was a great boy,” Judd said. “Not just a good boy, but a big boy. It breaks our hearts, there are no adequate words to explain how horrible this event is.
The grandfather told investigators it was ‘not uncommon for the suspect to say weird things’. The suspect has previously used methamphetamine and had previous psychotic episodes, Sheriff Judd said.
The suspect showed up at the grandparents’ house on Old Bartow Road in Lake Wales about a month ago after traveling across the country, Judd said. He had been to Washington, DC and Ohio.
He also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest in South Carolina, the sheriff said, but did not disclose the nature of the charges.
“We don’t know why he did what he did today other than he’s a mean, mean, mean person,” the sheriff said.
“We don’t know why he did what he did today other than he’s a mean, mean, mean person,” Judd said Monday afternoon.
The grandfather told investigators it was ‘not uncommon for the suspect to say weird things’.
The suspect showed up at the mobile home on Old Bartow Road in Lake Wales about a month ago after traveling across the country, the sheriff said.
“The world lost a great young man today,” said Judd
When the grandfather entered the house, he found Stephen Lee dead in the dining room/kitchen. No further details of the crime have been released.
The specific charges Stephen Thomas faces have not been released.
Officers arrested the suspect on Highway 60, about a mile from the scene of the homicide, as he attempted to flee.
“It breaks our hearts, there are no adequate words to explain how horrific this event is,” Judd said.
The sheriff added that he had spoken to family members who had described Stephen Lee – who was in Grade 11 at Frostproof High School – as a remarkable young man.
“The world lost a great young man today,” Judd said. “And we have a very mean man in custody, and we’re going to do our best to make sure he spends the rest of his life in prison.”