A Northeast man has been charged with murder in connection with the starvation death of his 82-year-old father last year.
Thomas Houck, 57, shared a home with his elderly parents on the 3400 block of Kirkwood Road in Academy Gardens, the district attorney’s office said. On Dec. 26, paramedics were called to the home to administer care to Houck’s mother, who appeared to be malnourished.
While on the scene, medics discovered the corpse of Leonard Houck in the basement. He was 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 79 pounds. Thomas Houck told investigators that his father had died days earlier and he was unsure what to do with the body, the DA’s office said.
In time, the medical examiner concluded that Leonard Houck died of malnutrition, while detectives determined that Thomas Houck was his parents’ primary caregiver. He also is alleged to have stolen an undisclosed amount of money from the couple.
Police arrested Thomas Houck on Thursday. He has been charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, felony theft, abuse of corpse and reckless endangerment.
Houck is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 4. He remains in custody without bail. ••
