Stepdad shoots, kills 15 year old stepson over household chores: police

CHARLES COUNTY, Md. - A man in Charles County is in custody after shooting and killing his 15-year-old stepson, according to police.

A 911 caller had indicated to officials that the suspect, 48-year-old Darshan Eric Williams, shot his 15-year-old stepson, Michael Edward Clemons. 

When officials arrived on the scene, they took Williams into custody without incident. Inside the home, they found Clemons unconscious and not breathing. The officers performed CPR on Clemons until the medics arrived, but he was pronounced dead on the scene. 

Officials say Williams was upset with the 15-year-old for not completing some household chores. 

Bruce Piegols of La Plata lives next door. Piegols has known Williams for several years.

"I’m really disappointed. He’s been a very good friend for me," he said. "He’s the guy, for me. Anytime I needed something from a neighbor, that’s who I ask for. He’d drop everything and come over immediately."

Piegols said Williams went by the nickname ‘Doc’.

"I only saw him interact with his step-son when he needed some help or had to get some wood pellets. His step son was cheerful and helpful. He said, hey if you have anything physical that you needed to have done, ‘Have Michael do it.’

I said, ‘Okay,’" he said. "The son was very pleasant. Doc is always very lowkey, easy going kind of person."

Another neighbor up the street said she didn’t hear anything overnight, but she saw police activity Wednesday morning.

"I’ve seen a Sheriff’s car going down the road when I was dropping my child off. On my way back, I was dropping my niece off, I saw CCSO going down the road. That was it," she said. "There’s a lot of things going on nowadays. You just got to take care of yourself. Just be prepared for things to happen. You never know what’s going to happen, what’s going on in people’s minds."

Williams was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and other related charges.

FOX 5 asked the Charles County Sheriff’s Office whether anyone else was home at the time of the shooting and whether authorities have ever been called to the home before this incident. We are waiting for clarification as of this writing