A Utah man is said to have killed his son after an argument on Christmas Eve in which he accused him and his fiancée of “withholding information” about his wife’s supposed affair.
Harold Luster has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action, according to a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office news release posted on Facebook.
According to police, Luster, 61, is currently in custody on a no-bond warrant. He pleaded not guilty on Thursday, December 26, according to KSDK.
The fatal shooting occurred around 8:55 p.m. local time on Tuesday, December 24, according to police. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by The Sun Herald, Luster’s son Kevin Ward was visiting for the holidays with his fiancé.
Luster and Ward’s fiancée, whose identity has not been revealed, had an argument because the father suspected his wife of cheating on him and believed his son and partner were aware of the alleged affair, according to the outlet, citing a legal document.
During the altercation, Luster allegedly asked his son’s fiancée, “Do you wanna get shot?” according to the Herald.
Ward, 26, allegedly told his fiancée to get him a knife and instructed her to “call 911 if something happened” between him and his father, according to the outlet.
As Ward’s fiancée began to leave, she overheard him trying to calm his father. “You’re not going to shoot her,” Ward said, to which Luster allegedly replied, “You want to get shot instead?” the Herald reported, citing the probable cause affidavit.
Luster then reportedly fired a single bullet into his son’s forehead, knocking him to the ground. He was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the Herald.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing. It is unclear whether Luster has legal representation who can comment on his behalf.
