(La Porte, IN) - A man is accused of stabbing his father to death Monday in La Porte before captured in St. Joseph County following a lengthy high speed pursuit.

 

Francisco Camarillo, 29, was charged Tuesday in La Porte Circuit Court with murder for killing his father, Valentin Camarillo.

 

According to court documents, the investigation shows Camarillo was spending the night in a shed in the backyard of his uncle’s house at 221 Lawndale Ave.

 

The uncle, who gave his nephew permission to stay there overnight, woke up after sunrise to Camarillo pacing in his backyard and yelling.

 

In response, police said he called his brother asking him to come get his son.

 

Police said the victim after pulling up in his SUV walked to the backyard and soon began yelling “help me brother. Help me brother. He’s going to kill me,” according to court documents.

 

The uncle, Aristeo Camarillo, told investigators he saw Francisco holding his father around the neck and raise a kitchen knife above his head then lower it in the direction of the victim, who fell to the ground bleeding from the neck area, police said.

 

Police said the investigation shows the knife with a wooden handle belonged to the uncle and was resting on a barbecue grill or table in the backyard when grabbed by the suspect.

 

The victim found by medics covered in blood was taken to Northwest Health where he was soon pronounced dead.

 

According to court documents, the suspect fled in his dad’s vehicle to the home of his father at 109 Greenway St. where he yelled that he killed his father and placed the knife into a kitchen sink.

 

Francisco fled with the cell phone belonging to the wife of his father after hearing the sirens of police vehicles responding to the home in response to a 911 call.

 

The woman tracking her cell phone told police he was on Indiana 104 heading into Stillwell. 

 

A short time later, officers caught up to Camarillo and tried making a traffic stop but he accelerated, passing a school bus in a no passing zone.

 

He then led pursuing officers from multiple agencies through Fish Lake, North Liberty and into South Bend before doubling back.  Eventually, he was captured in North Liberty, police said.

 

According to court records, Camarillo has an extensive criminal history mostly for domestic battery.  His most recent undecided charges filed in April were for residential entry and public intoxication, court records showed.

 

Camarillo could face anywhere from a 45 to 65 year sentence.