LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas man is facing attempted murder charges after he allegedly attacked and strangled his elderly mother, an arrest report said.
Jeffery Harper, 64, of Las Vegas faces attempted murder of an older person, coercion constituting domestic battery with threat or physical force, five counts of battery by strangulation of an older person, and four counts of domestic battery of an older person, records showed.
On April 11, officers spoke to Harper’s brother who told them that on April 8, he received a text message from his mother’s caregiver that said she had bruises on her hip and face from a possible fall.
The brother checked the camera footage from inside the home and found multiple videos from March 3 that showed a fight between Harper and his mother which resulted in him strangling her multiple times, the report said.
The footage showed Harper’s mother telling him to get out of her house and calling him a drug addict. She told Harper that she hated him and he then walked into the kitchen and threw the receiver of a landline into the living room in his mother’s direction, police said.
Harper then entered the living room where he spat in his mother’s face which caused her to slap him. Harper then placed his hands around her neck and strangled her, bringing her to the ground. He then slapped her again, accusing her of breaking her chain stating “I should beat your f—- a—. Look what you did to my f—– chain you b—–,” the report said.
Harper then grabbed a stuffed horse that was nearby and pushed it into her face while telling her, “I hate you,” repeatedly. He then placed his hand over her mouth and told her “I’ll choke you out.” He began to strangle her again and yell at her before he stood up and said, “I should strangle you,” the report said.
Harper spat on her again and pushed her over while she was already on the floor and hit her with a shoe. His mother told him to stay away from her and told him to get out of her house or she would call the police. He then left and slammed the door, the report said.
Harper was taken into custody on April 20 without incident. Harper told police that he moved to Las Vegas from Oklahoma to help take care of his mother with his brother. However, Harper wound up having total responsibility for her, which was not the original agreement, the report said.
Harper told police that as time went on, his mother’s behavior became more “manic” and she accused him of being a drug addict and stealing from her. Harper moved out of the house in February but returned occasionally to get his belongings. Harper admitted to arguing with his mother but said he did not remember strangling or smothering her saying that he “probably blacked out.”
Harper was taken to the Clark County Detention Center and is scheduled to appear in court on April 25.
