No bail for man accused of killing father in Albany
ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - A 26-year-old Albany man has been ordered held without bail in the stabbing death of his father as prosecutors determine what charge he'll face.
Police said Martin Ferrero was covered in blood Sunday when they responded to a hang-up 911 call and found 64-year-old Thomas Ferrero dead on the living room floor, stabbed "multiple times" in the torso and neck.
The father took over a job Jan. 20 as assistant director of the Mineral Land Reclamation program of Oregon's geology and mining agency, the Albany Democrat-Herald (http://bit.ly/16n9MDy) reported.
Before that, he was based in Sacramento as manager of the compliance and engineering geology units of the California Department of Conservation's Office of Mine Reclamation.
Martin Ferrero had been drinking, said Lt. Travis Giboney, and authorities are checking his blood and urine for drugs.
"He didn't talk a whole lot to us. ... He didn't deny it or didn't offer an explanation," Giboney said.
Ferrero appeared at his arraignment via teleconference Tuesday from the Linn County Jail. He didn't enter a plea. His next court appearance is Monday.
His court-appointed defense attorney, Eve Oldenkamp, handles only aggravated murder cases, which can carry the death penalty. That caused a question Tuesday when the prosecution couldn't say whether it would press that or a lesser charge.
"How soon can you tell us?" Judge Daniel Murphy asked prosecutor George Eder.
"I don't know right now," Eder responded.
Police said initially that the younger Ferrero was being held on murder and assault charges.
Detectives said they haven't finished their investigation. An autopsy was performed Tuesday.
The Ferreros lived off a cul-de-sac in a quiet neighborhood near Linn-Benton Community College.
The father and son didn't draw attention to themselves with any suspicious activity or partying, said neighbor Mariah Downer.
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Information from: Albany Democrat-Herald, http://www.dhonline.com