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A man was arrested after allegedly beating his elderly parents, setting their Massachusetts home on fire and leaving them at the residence despite their pleas for help, according to authorities.
Darius Hazard, 44, was charged with murder and arson after his parents, Venture, 76, and Donald, 83, were found dead in the living room of their burned home in North Adams on Monday, according to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office.
Hazard confessed to physically assaulting his parents inside their home, pouring gasoline on the floor and setting the house on fire before walking away and abandoning them in the burning structure, investigators said.
The suspect's parents were found dead in the home by firefighters responding to the fire around 7 a.m. Monday morning. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was smoke inhalation.
ILLINOIS MAN CHARGED WITH FIRE AFTER ALLEGEDLY LIGHTING HOUSE ON THANKSGIVING
Darius Hazard, 44, was charged with murder and arson. (North Adams Police Department)
Police later detained Hazard in a Walmart parking lot. Officers patted him down and he said he had a knife in his car. He said he had tried to stab himself and had injuries to his thigh and chest.
Prosecutors said Hazard told officers he became “really, really angry” while he and his father were helping his mother, who had difficulty walking and suffered from advanced arthritis and scoliosis, after she fell around 3 a.m., court documents show, according to WNYT.
“I think I broke down,” he said.
Darius Hazard confessed to physically attacking his parents inside their home, pouring gasoline on the floor and setting the house on fire. (North Adams Police Department)
Hazard yelled at them and hit them repeatedly, the outlet reported. His father told him to stop, which he eventually did. He then pushed both parents to the ground and hit them with various objects, as well as his fist. He even threw a fan at his father.
He spilled gasoline upstairs and in the living room, struck a match, and left.
His parents were injured, but alive when he left. He told police they were yelling “come back” and “help me, help us, we're in trouble” as he left the house.
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Darius Hazard told officers he became very angry while he and his father were helping his mother after she fell around 3 a.m. (North Adams Police Department)
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Hazard said he knew he shouldn't have lost his cool like this. He said he had lost his temper in the past and yelled or broken things, but this was the first time he had attacked his parents.
He pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail at the Berkshire County House of Correction, News 10 reported.
