A 24-year-old Blue Earth County man has been charged with two counts of second degree murder after fatally stabbing his father following a dispute over canceling the cable subscription.
Travis R. Earle stabbed his father multiple times Wednesday in their home in South Bend Township near Mankato, with at least part of the attack occurring as the father was on the line with 911 dispatchers seeking help, according to charging documents.
"I'm hurting," the father told dispatch.
The call was disconnected. When a dispatcher called back they heard the father telling the son to "get out of my room please," following by scuffling and screaming before the call was again disconnected, according to charging documents.
Blue Earth County deputies arrived at the house minute later and found Travis Earle in the driveway and his father Steven L. Earle sitting on the living room floor slumped against a couch where there was a "double-edged dagger-style knife." Steven Earle told detectives that he had the knife to protect himself from his son, and that his son was the attacker.
Steven Earle died at about 9 p.m. Wednesday during surgery at a Rochester hospital.
A witness said she received a text from Steven Earle that morning saying his son had been taking his phones away, threatening him with a knife and "controlling me bad," according to charging documents.
Travis Earle had returned to Minnesota from Iowa about a year ago and lived alone with his father, who was disabled.
Travis told a detective that got upset Wednesday morning when his father said he was going to call the cable company and cancel a subscription that he wasn't using, according to charging documents. The dispute escalated when his father said he was calling the police.
Earle is being held at Blue Earth County Jail will a minimum bail of $1 million requested. Court documents show the defense plans a "mental illness or deficiency" defense. A court appearance is set for May 12 at 1:30 p.m.
