KOKOMO, Ind. -- A Kokomo man already in custody was charged Wednesday with his grandfather's murder.
Just before 5:30 a.m. Monday, police were called to a home on the 2900 block of North Apperson Way in Kokomo on a report that "someone was dying but still breathing."
Upon arrival, officers located 67-year-old John Miller lying unconscious just inside the door. He was suffering from apparent head trauma and lacerations to his wrist.
Sitting in a chair on the other side of his grandfather was 24-year-old Zachary Miller. According to police, Miller appeared to have blood on the side of his shoes. When asked about his grandfather, Miller told police he didn't know what happened to him.
John Miller was transported to St. Vincent's Hospital in Kokomo, and later flown by helicopter to St. Vincent's Hospital in Indianapolis, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries Tuesday afternoon.
In an interview with police, Zachary Miller reportedly admitted to choking his grandfather and then stomping on his head and hitting him with a frying pan. He also reportedly admitted to cutting his wrist with a knife.
Miller's mother told police she had taken her son to the hospital the night before the attack, but that they wouldn't admit him. She told police Miller had been off his medications and that she wasn't going to be able to afford them until the coming Wednesday.
Prior to John Miller's death, police had been called to his home twice in the past month. On December 16, 2016, John Miller called 911 saying his grandson had battered him and threatened to kill him.
On January 1, Zachary Miller's mother called police saying her son was "off his medications and acting violently" toward his grandfather and other family members. She also said he had admitted to killing the family dog.
Following the attack, Zachary Miller was arrested on preliminary charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery. The first charge was upgraded to murder after his grandfather was pronounced dead on Tuesday.
As of Wednesday, Miller was being held at the Howard County Jail without incident.
