Man charged with murder after father found dead in St. Anthony home

A man is facing charges after his father was found bludgeoned and stabbed to death Saturday night in a St. Anthony home.

St. Anthony Police said 47-year-old Rodney Berg Christopherson of St. Anthony was charged Monday with second-degree murder with intent in connection with the 88-year-old victim’s death.

According to police, officers responded to a home in the 2400 block of 39th Avenue at about 5:43 p.m. Saturday on a report of a dead man in a home. A criminal complaint states officers found Christopherson’s father in bed with a cutting board under his head. His head was caved in near his left temple and he had suffered a stab wound to his lower left torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

When officers got to the house, Christopherson was lying face-down on the kitchen floor. He told police he had stabbed himself in the chest and was lying down to keep pressure on his injuries; he said he feared bleeding to death. He denied harming his father.

Medics who took Christopherson described him as "manic." He remains in the hospital. Upon release, he will be taken into custody and be held on $1 million bail.

During a search of the home, officers found a bloody butcher knife and a pool of blood by the laundry room and another knife and an 18-inch-long metal mallet — both covered in blood — on the bathroom counter. There was also a knife sharpener with blood spatter on the kitchen island.

According to the complaint, Christopherson’s brother went to the house to check on his father after receiving a call from his sister that she was worried about the victim’s status. She talked with her father on a daily basis and noticed that there was a newspaper on his front step after she drove past his house; he usually picked it up first thing in the morning.

The brother let himself in with a spare key and found Christopherson covered in blood in the kitchen. He told the brother, "Don’t go in there — dad’s dead." At that point, the complaint states, the brother called 911 and went into the bedroom to find the victim, who had no pulse.

Christopherson had a schizophrenia diagnosis and had been living with his father, the brother told police. He also said there didn’t seem to be any recent signs of trouble and that he thought Christopherson was taking his medications. However, Christopherson had attempted suicide at least twice in the past, most recently five years ago.

The investigation remains active.