By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Matthew Killingsworth, 45, of Hartselle was arrested May 10 and charged in the shooting death of his father at the home they shared at 1300 Crestline Drive.
The victim was identified as Edward Duane Killingsworth, 72. He was airlifted by helicopter to Decatur General Hospital where he was pronounced dead by an emergency room physician at 2:20 a.m.
Hartselle Police Chief Ron Puckett said his officers rushed to the Killingsworth's home after "a gentleman called 911 and reported he had been shot and needed help." The call was logged at 12:46 a.m.
Puckett said the father had taken a shot to the chest from a handgun apparently as the result of a domestic dispute. His son was taken into custody shortly after police arrived. He was later questioned, charged and transported to the Morgan County jail where he is being held on a $50,000 bond.
An autopsy conducted later by the state forensics laboratory in Huntsville confirmed that Killingsworth died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
Puckett said police remained on the scene for about 10 hours collecting evidence.
This is the first murder to occur in Hartselle in eight years.