Man charged with murder in father's death, Asheville police say

Bobby Kirkpatrick, of Asheville, was taken into custody Jan. 20 in connection with the May 25 homicide of his father, Robert Kirkpatrick, according to Asheville Police Department Capt. Joe Silberman.

Kirkpatrick, 33, was charged with first-degree murder on Jan. 13. Silberman said the department has been looking for Kirkpatrick this week and located him on Jan. 20.

He was taken into custody in Henderson County by the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, and brought back to Buncombe County to be served, said Silberman.

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Kirkpatrick is currently being held at the Buncombe County Jail without bond, according to a department news release.

According to Silberman, Robert Kirkpatrick, 65, was found dead in his home on May 25. The cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation.

According to the probable cause in a Jan. 12 search warrant for Bobby Kirkpatrick's cellphone, APD took a call for a possible domestic disturbance the night of May 25 at a residence at 3515 Sweeten Creek Road.

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The 911 caller advised that a possible fight was occurring between a father and son. Once officers arrived on scene, Robert Kirkpatrick was dead and no one else was in the home other than Bobby Kirkpatrick.

He was taken to the Asheville Police Department for questioning, and during his interview, said that his father had a history of health related problems and that he attempted CPR on his father, but was unsuccessful.

Bobby Kirkpatrick advised that he and his father would have verbal altercations, but never to the point where it became physical, according to the warrant.

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Silberman said Bobby Kirkpatrick was a suspect early on. The case was initially ruled a suspicious death until an autopsy was performed and a medical examiner indicated the cause of death was homicide on Oct. 27.

Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville man charged with first-degree murder in father's death