A man has been charged with murder after he allegedly set his father on fire outside their home in Glenmore Park, a western Sydney suburb, on Thursday. Emergency services responded to reports of a fire on Wargon Crescent shortly before 1 a.m., where they discovered the body of a man believed to be 64 years old. The victim sustained multiple, described as "distressing," injuries, including significant burns.
Authorities apprehended the victim's 36-year-old son approximately five hours later. He was found inside a vehicle in the nearby area of Werrington. New South Wales Police stated that the man received treatment from paramedics for minor injuries before being transported to Nepean Hospital under police custody. Following his release from the hospital, he was taken to Penrith Police Station, where the murder charge was laid.
He was denied bail and is scheduled to appear before Penrith Local Court. Police intend to allege that the two men were known to each other, and it is understood the accused did not reside at his father's Glenmore Park residence.
Superintendent Trent King of St Marys Police stated on Thursday that the 36-year-old man has a criminal history and is known to police. King indicated that an altercation appeared to have occurred between the two individuals, potentially following a break-in where the front door was forced. Accelerants seem to have been utilized in the incident, though further details regarding the events within the premises were not immediately available. King described the scene as "distressing" for first responders, noting it was not a typical scene and was particularly impactful given the victim's injuries.
Fire and Rescue NSW personnel extinguished a blaze that began in a blue Holden Commodore parked in the driveway and subsequently spread to a portion of the house.
