Thomas Parker, 71, was fatally shot in his own bed in Elmore around 3 a.m. The shooting reportedly occurred after Parker’s 21-year-old grandson, Jeremiah Long, entered his grandparents’ bedroom and demanded the keys to a van. When Parker refused, an argument ensued and Long allegedly fired a single shot into his grandfather’s chest.

Long had been living with his grandparents after returning from a drug rehabilitation program in Georgia. Parker’s wife witnessed the shooting but was initially unable to call for help because Long had taken the couple’s cell phone from the bedroom earlier that night while they slept. She later retrieved a second hidden phone and contacted her daughter and authorities. Deputies and medical personnel arrived about an hour after the shooting; Parker could not be saved.

Jeremiah Long was taken into custody and charged with murder and booked into the Elmore County Jail. The sheriff described the incident as a very sad and gruesome story that shocked the community. If anyone knew Thomas Parker or has information about the events that night, please come forward to assist the investigation.