© CBSGary Sherrill
According to Phoenix police Sgt. Steve Martos, police were called to an apartment near 12th Street and Bethany Home Road around 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday.
A call was placed by the victim's mother after her son was picked up by the victim's father, 51-year-old Gary Sherrill a day early. The mother and father are divorced, Martos said.
The mother told police, Sherrill failed to return their child and that she had been reaching out to her son and ex-husband.
When officers arrived, Sherrill told them his son was not home. Officers asked more questions and the suspect allowed officers into his home, Martos said.
When police entered the home, they found 13-year-old David Sherrill deceased with signs of trauma. Martos said the victim had stab wounds and lacerations to several parts of his body.
When homicide detectives arrived, Sherrill confessed to killing his son with an ax and told officials he was scared of his son. He told police he believed his son was a demon and was going to eat him.
Sherrill was booked into jail on first degree murder.
Man again? Why don't people seek the help they need??