Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Richard Denton, 73, has been charged with assaulting his son-in-law with a lethal weapon while shooting.
Victim was hospitalized, treated and released
John Johnson
john johnson news@gmail.com
Graham County – An elderly man accused of shooting and killing his son-in-law surrendered himself to the Graham County Sheriff’s Office Saturday night.
Richard Denton, 73, was subsequently arrested and held in the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on charges of aggravated assault, firing a firearm at an occupied property, disorderly conduct, and endangerment. On Tuesday, the Graham County Attorney’s Office formally charged him with aggravated assault with a lethal weapon and disorderly conduct with a weapon. Denton was appointed Dennis McCarthy as public defender.
The 56-year-old victim was taken to Mount Graham Regional Medical Center for treatment and released.
The Graham County Sheriff’s Office reported that the shooting took place inside a manufactured home on the 7000 block of E. San Jose Road. A subsequent search of the residence found a single chambered black Cold .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun with a magazine load. A silver Colt semi-automatic pistol with a loaded magazine and one in chamber. and a .38 caliber silver Smith & Wesson revolver with blood on it. The revolver was loaded with five spent .38 caliber casings with one chamber completely empty.
Investigators also found two bullet holes in the head pillow of the bed and two more bullet holes on the mattress. Multiple bullets and bullet fragments were also taken from the scene, as was a blood sample taken from a puddle next to the bedroom door.
After shooting the victim, Denton drove to the sheriff’s office in a silver Chevrolet Silverado, apparently dressed in blood from the victim.The sheriff’s office is closed and locked. Denton walked to Eighth Avenue.
Shortly thereafter, at 9:16 p.m., I received a call that a man had been shot in the arm in a San Jose Road home. A minute later, a lieutenant spotted Denton walking south on his Eighth Avenue Bridge. Upon contact, Denton replied, “I’m the one you’re looking for,” and said he shot his son-in-law five times and hit him once. He is said to have told his lieutenant that he was locking them up to prevent further attacks. “He just didn’t want to hurt other people,” Denton was quoted as saying. He was then taken into custody.
During a subsequent police interrogation, Denton allegedly said he shot his son-in-law because he was “a stabbing man and wanted him out of the house.” Denton described kicking the window unit AC out the window, entering the bedroom and shooting the victim in the arm. Denton said he didn’t intentionally try to kill his victim, but only shot to scare him, actually aiming over the head. It was said to have been used in a previous murder in Reno, Nevada.
Denton also said he had recently stopped taking prescribed medication and was prone to bouts of blind anger.
A Smith & Wesson revolver was brought into evidence along with its case and bullet fragments.
