Twin Cities Man Found With Self-Inflicted Stab Wound Charged With Murdering Father

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 47-year-old Twin Cities man is facing murder charges after allegedly killing his father over the weekend.

Court documents filed in Ramsey County show that Rodney Christopherson, of St. Anthony, is charged with one count of second-degree murder. He is currently in custody with bail set at $1 million.

According to a criminal complaint, police responded Sunday evening to a home the 2400 block of 39th Avenue Northeast on a report of a death. Upon entering the home, officers could smell the odor a decomposing body.

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In the kitchen, officers found Christopherson lying on his chest in a pool of blood. He had apparently stabbed himself. Emergency crews brought him to a local hospital, where medical workers described him as being in a manic state. Investigators later learned that Christopherson was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Police found Christopherson's 88-year-old father dead in his bedroom. He appeared to suffer severe head trauma and stab wounds. Investigators later found a bloodstained mallet and knives in the kitchen.

Relatives who initially responded to conduct a welfare check at the home told investigators that Christopherson had been living with his father for a while. While he allegedly yelled at his father occasionally, he showed no signs of violence to others.

If convicted of the second-degree murder charge, Christopherson faces up to 40 years in prison.