YOU NEED TO KNOW
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A man has been charged after his elderly parents were found dead in their burning Massachusetts home earlier this week.
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Darius Hazard was brought to court on one charge of arson and pleaded not guilty
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Venture Hazard, 76, and Donald Hazard, 83, allegedly said “come back” and “help me, help us, we’re in trouble” before they died
A Massachusetts man has been arrested and charged after his elderly parents were found dead in their burning home earlier this week.
Venture Hazard, 76, and Donald Hazard, 83, were killed in their North Adams residence early in the morning on Monday, November 24, the North Adams Police Department (NAPD) said in a news release shared on Facebook.
Authorities subsequently arrested the couple’s 44-year-old son, Darius Hazard, later that day. He allegedly told police he assaulted his parents, poured gasoline on the first floor of the house and set it on fire before fleeing, authorities said.
Darius was brought to Court on one charge of arson, per policeman. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to WNYT.
It is unclear if Darius currently has legal representation to comment on his behalf.
In a probable cause report obtained by News 10, police said Darius told them he was struggling to cope with his mother’s advanced arthritis and scoliosis.
The Police added that Darius stated that he and his father were helping Venture after she fell, when he became agitated and attacked them.
As he left the residence after setting fire, Darius told police he could hear his parents calling for help, WNYT reported, citing court documents.
Darius said he could hear his mother and father yelling “come back” and “help me, help us, we’re in trouble,” according to a probable cause report obtained by the store.
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The Hazards’ neighbors notified emergency personnel that something was wrong when they saw smoke coming from the home, NAPD said. Officers found the couple dead in their living room, according to WNYT.
The police eventually went to Darius to look for him. There, his friends said he didn’t seem like he was different, NBC Boston reported. He was later found and arrested.
In response to the tragedy, and how the local area looked, Jamie Lynn King told News 10, “The whole family, including Darius, has been a pillar in this community for many decades.”
“Everyone knows them. Everyone loved them,” continued the resident. “Don’t judge a book just by the shortest words you’ve heard because there must be a lot for it to have happened the way it did.”
Nate Shoot, a family friend, told Darius’ outlet: “I just hope he gets the help he needs, and we get answers, because this is like nothing.”
Read the original article on People