Police in California have unearthed grisly new details into the slayings of an elderly couple allegedly decapitated by their son, who then sent photos of the purported murders to family.
Joseph Gerdvil, 41, is accused of severing the heads of his mom, Antoinette Gerdvil, 79, dad, Ronald Gerdvil, 77, and their dog, at a mobile home park in San Juan Capistrano, California, in July, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Gerdvil has been charged with two counts of homicide.
He remains hospitalized for serious officer-inflicted gunshot injuries suffered at the time of his arrest, authorities confirmed Friday, accompanied by the release of officer body cam footage.
Following the alleged killings, officers encountered a bloodied Gerdvil in the street. Holding an object unknown at the time, Gerdvil approached a deputy and ignored orders to get on the ground. The deputy responded by firing off several gunshots to the suspect's torso, the video reviewed by the Lawyer Herald shows.
"I love you. I'm sorry you're gonna have to die," Gerdvil muttered to himself as officers initiated his arrest.
"Just finish me off. Put one (bullet) in my head. Please, I'm begging you," he continued, according to the footage, before breaking out into song – first with a few lines from Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It," and following it up with Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You."
A motive remains under investigation, but family members previously alleged to investigators Gerdvil suffered from mental health issues and had a history of violence.
