This story first appeared in a Colorado Community Media newspaper. Support CCM’s neighborhood news.
By Nina Joss, Colorado Community Media
An 81-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly killed his wife and adult daughter with an ax to prevent them from becoming homeless.
Police documents say Reginald Maclaren was arrested March 25 on multiple charges, including murder in the first degree and a weapons charge.
According to the arrest affidavit, Maclaren allegedly admitted to killing his wife, Bethany Maclaren, 70, and daughter, Ruth Maclaren, 35, to prevent them from becoming homeless, as he knew his family was running out of money and would not be able to afford their home.
Maclaren went to the emergency department at Swedish Medical Center on the evening of March 25, where he waived his Miranda rights and shared information with investigators, documents say.
In this interview with detectives, Maclaren said his family would have had to vacate their apartment that day, and that they had nowhere else to live because they had no money.
He said he was previously employed at Hospital Shared Services and worked frequently with the homeless population. Being homeless was a miserable life, he told investigators.
Maclaren allegedly began planning to kill his family approximately 10 days before, according to police documents. Investigators say he bought an ax, two large trash cans and a hand saw at Home Depot and stored these items in his apartment.
Police say they received a call from Maclaren at approximately 6:03 p.m. on the day of the murders stating that he thought his wife and daughter had been killed with a hammer and that he knew the suspect.
When officers entered the apartment at 901 Englewood Parkway, they found the two victims inside large trash cans in the living room/kitchen area. According to police, both victims had substantial visible injuries.
Officials say the victims were both killed with an ax and one had been dismembered with a saw.
Maclaren was arrested and charged with murder. The names of the wife and daughter were not released by police.
Arapahoe County jail records show Maclaren is being held without bond.
The Colorado Sun contributed to this report.
To read more of this story, go to EnglewoodHerald.net