Police: Son Tried to Kill Elderly Bethlehem Parents

A 51-year-old man is accused of beating his elderly parents inside their Bethlehem North Side Historic District home late Monday night, police said.

Michael Lindgren, 51, was observed leaving the house at 209 E. Wall St. as police responded to an alarm that had been sounded from the home at a little after midnight. The suspect had bloodied hands and feet and told police that he “had to kill them.”

Just inside the front door, police found his unconscious 77-year-old mother who had been “severely beaten,” police said. His unconscious 78-year-old father, who had also been beaten, was found in an adjoining room.

Police said they plan to charge Lindgren with two counts of attempted homicide and other charges later today.

Both victims were taken to and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with severe head trauma, police said.

Neither of the victims was identified in the police news release. A reverse address lookup shows that Ralph and Shirley Lindgren live at 209 E. Wall St.

The suspect was also taken to St. Luke’s for treatment, but was released back into police custody at 5 a.m., police said. Police are expecting to have him arraigned at District Judge Roy Manwaring’s office later today.

City detectives and the department’s Forensics Services Unit are executing search warrants at the home, the news release said.

Anyone with any information relative to this investigation is asked to contact Det. Jason Fulmer at 610-997-7682 or the Communication Center at 610-865-7187.