Son arraigned today for murder, elder abuse of 81-year-old father

MURRIETA -CA. USA Valley News

A 46-year-old man is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of murder and cruelty to a dependent adult for the alleged slaying of his 81-year-old father, who died as a result of what authorities describe as several blows to the head.

Charles Edward Ellsworth died Friday at a Fontana hospital "as a result of being struck several times in the head'' by his son, Michael Thomas Ellsworth, at the victim's residence in rural Homeland on April 15, sheriff's and coroner's investigators said.

Deputies investigated a physical dispute reported about 1:40 a.m. April 15 in the 30700 block of Palmetto Palm Avenue in Homeland, between Hemet and Perris, according to sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.

It was not clear from sheriff's and coroner's accounts whether anyone was arrested or received medical treatment on April 15, Gutierrez said. But last Wednesday, the elder Ellsworth was admitted to a Menifee hospital, and he died at 11:07 a.m. Friday at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fontana, sheriff's and coroner's officials said.

Michael Ellsworth was arrested at 3:30 p.m. Friday by deputies from the Perris station and was booked on suspicion of murder and cruelty to a dependent adult with great bodily injury.