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A Syracuse man was arrested this morning and charged with the murder of his father.
Tracy K. Dietzen, 35, of 10511 N. Grand Boulevard, is accused of murdering his father, James A. Dietzen, 75, also of North Grand Boulevard.
Tracy admitted he shot his father several times in the dining room of the family residence Saturday morning. Police said he admitted burying his father's body in the basement of the house under 14 inches of dirt.
According to preliminary coroner's reports, Dietzen was shot at least three times, with wounds in his chest and head.
Tracy reported his father missing on Tuesday. The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department said Tracy reported James left for Florida on Saturday and had not contacted him.
Earlier on Tuesday, the sheriff's department received a report of an abandoned vehicle on CR 400N and Ind. 13, south of North Webster. The car was registered to James A. Dietzen and contained numerous articles of his clothing. The vehicle was impounded.
Later Tuesday, officers met with Tracy to conduct a followup investigation and found discrepancies in his explanation of his father's disappearance and vehicle abandonment. Tracy then admitted killing his father following an argument.
The sheriff's department and Indiana State Police technicians recovered James Dietzen's body and the murder weapon.
Dietzen was booked into Kosciusko County Jail at 12:03 this morning and charged with murder. He is being held without bond.
The sheriff's department and state police technicians are continuing the investigation. Kosciusko County Coroner Larry Ladd will perform an autopsy on Dietzen at St. Joe Medical Center, Fort Wayne, this morning.
