LANCASTER, Pa. — Update: The deceased has been identified as Donald L. Meshey, 67, the suspect's father.
The elder Meshey died of multiple stab wounds to the body, and the manner of death is homicide, according to Lancaster County Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, who performed an autopsy Thursday morning.
Previously:
The Lancaster City Bureau of Police arrested a man Wednesday morning after finding a severed head in his freezer.
Around 8:51 a.m. on Aug. 11, officers responded to a call in which a woman said she was concerned about the welfare of family members at a residence in the 200 block of West Strawberry Street. She told police that one of the residents, Donald Meshey Jr., 32, told her there was a body in one of the beds and a head in the freezer.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with the caller and she told them that she had just been inside the residence and spoke with Meshey; she had observed what she believed to be the head of one of her family members in the freezer. Police immediately went to Apartment 1 at the West Strawberry Street building and spoke with Meshey, who escorted officers to the kitchen, where he proceeded to remove what appeared to be a human head from the freezer; the Lancaster County Coroner's office has since confirmed that it was indeed a human head.
After being taken into custody, Meshey was interviewed by detectives. He told them that he had found what he described as a "cadaver doll" in his father's bedroom which he claimed "looked and sounded like his father."
Meshey told detectives that he proceeded to stab the "cadaver doll" for 2 to 3 minutes with a knife and then dismembered the body.
As of about 9:45 p.m. on Aug. 11, the scene was still active and authorities are still working to confirm the identity of the victim.
Meshey has been charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Det. Ryan Burgett at 717-735-3412 or Lancaster City-County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-322-1913. You can also text a tip by texting LANCS to 847411.