A man from Plymouth, Massachusetts is in custody after police in New Sewickley Township say he confessed to strangling his father Tuesday over a financial scam.
Police say 57-year-old Michael Miklaucic was in Beaver County to help his father, 83-year-old John Miklaucic, who reported losing substantial money to a Publishers Clearing House financial scam.
The father and son allegedly met with police Sunday to report the scam. A New Sewickley Township detective opened an investigation into the report following the meeting.
Around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, New Sewickley Township Police Chief Ronald Leindecker said officers were called to John Miklaucic's home in the 600 block of Fezell Road after Michael Miklaucic allegedly called 911 saying he killed his father.
"When the police department arrived at the residence, they were able to locate (Michael) Miklaucic on the front porch," Leindecker said. "He was taken into custody without incident. The police department then did an emergency search of the house. They did locate John Miklaucic inside the house, who was deceased and deceased by strangulation."
Michael Miklaucic was taken to the New Sewickley Township Police Department, where police say he confessed to the murder, saying he wanted to save his father from the embarrassment of being scammed.
"The statement from the son stated he felt that his father was humiliated," Leindecker said. "So, he wanted his father to die at his house and be removed from the humiliation that was going to be brought upon him."
Police reported Michael Miklaucic showed little remorse in his confession.
He faces a criminal homicide charge and remains in the Beaver County Jail.
Beaver County District Attorney says the case can serve as a warning of the potentially tragic impact of financial scams.
"We all receive the phone calls," he said. "Seniors have got to learn, don't answer the phone if you don't know who is calling. Every senior should have caller I.D., and every senior should have voicemail. If they don't recognize the phone number, don't answer it."
