A New York man strangled his father to death during a verbal argument that turned physical, police said.
Hans Knickerbocker was initially arrested on a charge of criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation in connection with his father Philip A. Knickerbocker’s death on February 25, according to New York State Police.
Two days later, Hans, 40, was charged with second-degree murder, state police said in a news release issued on Monday, March 2.
It was not clear whether Hans had retained legal representation or entered a plea as of Thursday, March 5.
According to court documents viewed by WWNY-TV, the deadly altercation between Hans and Philip, who both lived in Hermon, unfolded after the father and his wife were involved in a marital dispute in the living room of a home in Russell.
The argument occurred while Hans was in a bedroom, court documents say, the TV station reported.
At some point, Philip allegedly poured coffee onto his wife’s head and tried to strike her, according to court documents obtained by the TV station.
Authorities have not confirmed local media reports the woman is Hans’ biological mother.
Afterward, Hans is accused of attacking his father by hitting him in the head and strangling him, according to state police.
The strangulation proved fatal, police said.
State police arrived at the home and found Philip dead on a couch, according to authorities. He was 63 years old.
As a result, Hans was taken into custody and questioned, police said.
On February 27, the day Hans was charged with murder, autopsy results confirmed Philip’s death was a homicide, and that he died of “asphyxia due to strangulation,” according to police.
Hans has since appeared before a judge in Canton Court for an arraignment and was detained in the St. Lawrence County Jail, where he is being held without bail, state police said.
State police are continuing to investigate Philip’s death.
If Hans is convicted of second-degree murder, he could face a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and maximum sentence of 25 years to life, according to the Law Offices of Jason Goldman, a firm based in New York City.
The law firm’s site claims that “While first degree murder is worse than second degree, in reality, second degree murder is a much more common charge in New York.”
“Indeed, second-degree murder covers a common form of homicide where one person simply ‘intentionally causes the death of another,’” the firm explains.
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