(La Porte, IN) - A man accused of killing his stepfather in La Porte was scheduled to make his initial court appearance Friday on the allegations.

 

Breon Ware, 36, of Gary is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with murder and other counts in the Sunday night strangling at a home in the 1400 block of Jefferson Avenue.

 

Police said the investigation shows Ware and his stepfather, Aaron Stingley, 58, were arguing in the living room over some speakers.  A child inside the residence told investigators he witnessed the suspect punch the victim and place his arm around his neck before going upstairs, police said. 

 

The child also told investigators he soon returned to find Stingley face down on a couch and not moving, police said.

 

After the strangling, police said Ware went to his mother’s workplace and told her she needed to check on the victim, explaining that he “laid him out.”  She returned to the home and couldn’t find a pulse on Stingley, who was taken to Northwest Health where he later died.

 

Ware was taken into custody in the hospital parking lot during a struggle with police.  He could face a 45 to 65 year sentence just on the murder charge.

 

According to authorities, Ware has a prior conviction for dealing cocaine from 2013.