Minn. man stabbed father 2 dozen times

Published 11:29 am Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Jacob Anthony Abel stabbed his defenseless father two dozen times in the head and neck while murdering him Sunday night in a Crookston, Minn., apartment, according to allegations in a criminal complaint filed today in Polk County District Court.

Abel, 27, is charged with premeditated murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree in the brutal stabbing of his father, Jerome Abel.

According to the criminal complaint, Jacob Abel admitted to authorities that he committed the crime, saying he “was going to be famous.”

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The complaint describes the gruesome scene of the crime in apartment E206 at 1500 N. Broadway, with Jerome Abel lying face down in a pool of blood on the floor and blood splattered on the walls and ceiling.

The complaint states Jacob Abel told police he was upset with his father when he went to the kitchen, got a knife and returned to the living room.

His father was lying on the couch and Jacob Abel drove the knife into his head, the complaint states.

His father tried to fight back and Abel started stabbing him in the neck, the complaint said.

The doctor who performed the autopsy on Jerome Abel told police a number of the stab wounds would have been fatal by themselves. The tip of the knife was recovered from Abel’s skull, the doctor said.

There were also a number of defensive stab wounds to the hands and arms.

Authorities said Abel acted strangely during an interview after his arrest. He made statements that didn’t make sense and at one point became very angry and threatened to kill one of the officers questioning him.

Police arrested Jacob Abel Sunday night without incident as he stood covered in blood in the apartment hallway holding a knife.

First-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison. Second degree murder carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.

The Grand Forks Herald and the News Tribune both are owned by Forum Communications.