GENESEO, N.Y. — A New York man faces murder charges after arriving at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office with his father’s dead body and his defense attorney in tow, authorities said.
Richard Fluegel Jr., 30, was charged with second-degree murder, criminal use of a firearm, and tampering with physical evidence on Dec. 10. According to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, the case began when defense attorney Brian DeCarolis called 911 from the sheriff’s office parking lot to report that his client, Fluegel Jr., had a deceased body in his vehicle.
The body was identified as Fluegel Jr.’s father, 60-year-old Richard Fluegel Sr., who was reported missing on Dec. 8. Investigators alleged that Fluegel Sr. was killed at a property on Bonner Road, where Fluegel Jr. had been cultivating a marijuana grow operation. Sheriff Thomas Dougherty said Fluegel Jr. is accused of shooting his father twice with a 12-gauge shotgun before wrapping the body in a tarp and placing it in his car.
Fluegel Sr.’s disappearance was initially reported when he failed to return home on Dec. 8 and missed a scheduled flight the following morning. His car was found abandoned in a parking lot on Dec. 9, prompting a search of the Bonner Road property.
DeCarolis, who began representing Fluegel Jr. hours before the incident at the sheriff’s office, confirmed to local media that he called authorities on behalf of his client. He is not under investigation.