A college student is accused of murdering his grandfather and attacking his father. Luke Holden Ingram, 19, is currently locked up without bond at the Flagler County Jail in Florida on five charges: second-degree murder, battery by strangulation, resisting an officer without violence, resisting arrest with violence, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. Authorities identified the slain victim as Darwin Ingram, 85.
According to deputies, Luke Ingram’s 48-year-old father said his son has schizophrenia. The younger Ingram, a college student from Georgia, was acting strange, the man said in the charging affidavit. The father said he convinced his son to come to his home in Palm Coast, Florida, which is south of St. Augustine. They and Darwin had dinner, but the 19-year-old was staring at them. The father went to bed but locked his door because of how his son was acting, deputies said. He told deputies about hearing the others talk, and then he “awoke to a growl-like sound and screaming.”
The man said he found his father bloody and unresponsive in the living room. His son was allegedly sitting in a chair in the grandfather’s bedroom. The man tried to call 911, but his son told him repeatedly “no,” deputies said. Then the son allegedly put his father in a chokehold twice. The father said he felt as though he was going to pass out. He bit his son’s to try to get away. They struck each other and he was able to get away, deputies said. He began to knock on doors to get people to call 911. At least two locals did reach out to authorities.
Deputies said they arrived to find the 48-year-old father bloodied.
“My son attacked me,” he said in documents. “I need help.”
He asked to call the ambulance and said that his own father was on the floor. Deputies said the 48-year-old had an apparent bite mark on his inner right forearm; a large, raised bump on the back of his head; a bloody nose; laceration on his right thumb; scrape marks on both legs; and a swollen area on his right ear. The man said his son put him in a chokehold twice, and he felt like he was going to pass out.
Deputies said they knocked on the front door of the home. No answer. As seen on video, a deputy kicked open the front door.
They said they spotted Luke, wearing only shorts, standing next to an unconscious man, “who was lying on his back on the floor with a large amount of blood on his person and surrounding him.”
As seen on video, they told Luke to show them his hands. They told Ingram to step out hands up. Ingram had his hands up but did not step forward through the doorway. The man identified as Luke Ingram finally did, but he did not follow deputies’ demands for him to turn around.
“Let’s talk about this and figure things out,” said a deputy. “You’ve got to work with us, though. Alright?”
This went on for minutes, as authorities repeated their demands. A deputy finally tasered Ingram, who fell to the ground and began to scream. Law enforcement rushed to his side, appearing to tase him at least one more time and grappling with him. Authorities said they tased him three times before they managed to handcuff him.
“Who did I kill,” and “Who did I almost kill,” Ingram said spontaneously during collection of the DNA evidence, according to deputies.
Deputies said he tried to flee the interview room. He managed to move his handcuffs to the front of his person. Ingram allegedly bit a detective twice, and repeated, “I will kill you.”
Preliminary findings from Darwin Ingram’s autopsy showed “multiple injuries, to include blunt force trauma,” deputies said.
“Fortunately, our detectives will recover from their injuries taking this violent offender off the streets and into the Green Roof Inn where he belongs,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. “The original crime scene reflected a very violent and brutal attack. We are working diligently to find answers as to what caused this tragic attack on family members early this morning. Our condolences to the family and all involved in this case.”
[Mugshot and screenshot via Flagler County Sheriff’s Office]