A father from Nevada has been arrested for killing his 14-year-old son.
Giovanni Melton from Henderson, Nevada, was shot dead by his father Wendell during an argument last Thursday about his son’s sexual orientation, reports are claiming.
Police were called to the scene on Thursday afternoon after reports of a domestic disturbance at Giovanni’s apartment. When they arrived they found the 14-year-old in critical condition. He was taken to St Rose Dominican Hospital where he died from his injuries.
14-year old Giovanni Melton is the teen police say was shot by his father.@News3LV pic.twitter.com/dTnli6mGWg
— Antonio Castelan (@AntonioNews3LV) November 3, 2017
Wendell was arrested on Friday and he has been charged with open murder, child abuse and prohibited person possessing a firearm according to the Daily Mail.
Giovanni’s former foster mother, Sonja Jones described the boy as a “beautiful life” and said how she loved Giovanni as if he was her own.
Jones claimed that Wendell had already pulled a gun on his son when he found him with his boyfriend. “I’m hearing his dad had caught him with his boyfriend before and pulled out a gun on him,” said Jones.
Jones claims that she was told by a family member that the argument was partially due to Giovanni’s sexual orientation, and she claimed Wendell had a problem with that. “He hated the fact his son was gay. I’m sure that inside of his mind he would rather have a dead son than a gay son,” Jones said.
“I hope they throw the book at him. I hope he never sees the light of day. I hope every day when he looks in the mirror, he sees his son’s face,” Jones told KSNV. “Giovanni was abused physically and mentally and spiritually for many, many years,” she says.
Reports claim that Wendell told police he feared for his life, and only had a gun because he feared some of his son’s friends. Wendell said that he accidentally shot his son in the chest.
Wendell told police that he argued with his son after catching him smoking marijuana and skipping school. It also emerged that 14-year-old Giovanni lived alone in his apartment because he did not get along with his father’s wife.
Friends of the teenager described him as energetic and that he would make everyone he met smile. He attended Coronado High School and one of his fellow students, Bailey Schultz told News 3, “It’s just sad. He was young and he had a lot to live for.”
Wendell remains in the Henderson Detention Centre on an $800,000 bond.
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