A Florida father has been arrested for allegedly killing his son using an angle grinder.
Stephen Thomas Rodda, 37, was arrested on Monday, September 4, in Lake Wales, Polk County, after allegedly killing his 16-year-old son, Stephen Lee Rodda.
The incident took place inside a mobile home, as reported by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
The teenager was staying with his grandfather, Thomas Rodda, 67, to assist him at home while his grandmother was in rehab.
On Monday morning, after returning from visiting his wife in rehab, the grandfather found his son, Stephen Thomas, outside the house. Stephen allegedly told him about the murder and suggested calling the police. He purportedly told his father, “I wouldn’t go in there if I was you. I killed someone.” The grandfather later found his grandson dead inside the house.
Sheriff Judd mentioned that the father used a type of heavy-duty saw in the incident. He was later apprehended by the police on Highway 60.
Stephen Thomas Rodda has a significant criminal record, including a pending warrant in South Carolina. Sheriff Judd commented on the father’s problematic history of crime and drug abuse and the impact of this incident on the family.
The younger Stephen was a student at Frostproof High School, aiming to become an electrician. He was set to begin a job at Burger King, hoping to save for a car.
Sheriff Judd described him as a commendable young man and expressed condolences to the family. The reason behind the incident is still being investigated.