An upstate New York man, Richard Fluegel Jr., 30, is facing murder charges after he arrived at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office with his father’s body in his car, authorities confirmed. The incident, described as highly unusual by local law enforcement, has sent shockwaves through the quiet Finger Lakes region.
911 Call Leads Deputies to Grim Discovery
Fluegel Jr. contacted 911 late Monday, informing dispatchers that he had a body to turn in at the sheriff’s office in Geneseo, New York. Deputies met him in the parking lot and discovered the bullet-riddled body of his father, 60-year-old Richard Fluegel Sr., in the car. Sheriff Thomas Dougherty described the call and situation as unprecedented.
“As far as the call into dispatch saying that they wanted to turn in a deceased body, that’s very abnormal, as you can imagine,” Dougherty said during a press conference.
Missing Person Report Turns Into Murder Case
The elder Fluegel had been reported missing just a day earlier, on Sunday. Initially, Fluegel Jr. was detained on a charge of tampering with evidence, but the investigation quickly escalated. By Tuesday evening, he was charged with murder and criminal use of a firearm.
Fluegel Jr. pleaded not guilty during his arraignment and is currently being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 16.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities have not released details about the circumstances of the murder, including how or when the crime took place. Sheriff Dougherty noted that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Court documents did not list an attorney for Fluegel Jr., and the district attorney’s office has yet to comment on his legal representation.
A Rare and Disturbing Incident
Sheriff Dougherty reassured the public that the community remains safe despite the disturbing nature of the case.
“This stuff doesn’t happen,” Dougherty said. “We don’t have people just show up and say they have a dead body with them and they’d like to turn it in. It’s not common.”
The incident has left many in the Finger Lakes region shocked as law enforcement continues to unravel the details behind this tragic case.
