St. Anthony man found not guilty in killing of father due to mental illness
A St. Anthony man has been found not guilty in connection with the death of his father.
Rodney Berg Christopherson, 49, was found not guilty of second-degree murder by reason of mental illness, according to court records filed Tuesday.
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On Dec. 4, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. officers from St. Anthony were called to the 2400 block of 39th Avenue Northeast on a report of a death.
A criminal complaint stated that officers smelled an odor of decomposition upon entering the home. Christopherson was lying facedown on the floor amidst a pool of blood and told law enforcement he had stabbed himself in the chest.
Officers found Christopherson’s dad lying on a bed with blood all over his face and upper torso, a stab wound to his lower left torso, and injuries to his head. The complaint added that law enforcement found two knives and a mallet with blood on them.
Christopherson was brought to the hospital where medical officials say he was “manic.”
Officers talked to Christopherson’s brother, who checked in on his dad after his sister drove by the house and noticed the newspaper outside, which was unusual for him. The brother told officers that Christopherson said, “Don’t go in there — dad’s dead” before discovering his dad dead on the bed.
The brother told officials that Christopherson has a schizophrenia diagnosis and had been living with his dad for a while.