Stephen Strumpf: Columbia man charged for fatally stabbing father in neck and setting body ablaze using gasoline in garage
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI: Reports indicate that a 31-year-old man, Stephen Martin Strumpf, allegedly stabbed his father multiple times in the neck, poured gasoline on the body, and ignited it. Strumpf is now facing charges of first-degree murder, arson, and credit card fraud.
He is charged with killing his father with a knife. The identity of his father has been redacted from the reviewed probable cause arrest affidavit.
Firefighters discovered a dead body in the garage
At 12:01 am on Friday, the Columbia Fire Department responded to a fully involved structure fire in the 3900 block of Deerfoot Way in Columbia, Missouri. Firefighters initiated efforts to extinguish the fire upon noticing the absence of cars in the driveway.
They discovered a dead man in the garage after putting out the fire, Law&Crime reported.
As per the affidavit, a fire marshal determined that the fire originated in the garage. Additionally, a police dog at the scene alerted officers to the presence of an accelerant near the area where firefighters later found the body.
When police spoke with the victim's girlfriend, she revealed that the victim had picked up his son, Strumpf, on Wednesday from the Kansas City Amtrak station.
Strumpf had been staying at the Deerfoot Way house with his father, according to the victim's girlfriend.
Approximately seven hours before the fire, neighbors observed Strumpf moving items from his father's garage to a dark-colored sedan, a detail they later conveyed to detectives.
The victim's girlfriend reported a fraudulent charge on the shared credit card, indicating a charge exceeding $200 at a hotel in Columbia.
After visiting the hotel, investigators looked through security camera footage, which purportedly showed Strumpf checking into the room at 4 am on Friday—roughly 4 hours after the fire.
Stephen Strumpf claimed killing his father with a knife
Around midnight, Strumpf was arrested by the police for fraudulent use of a credit card after they found him driving a blue Toyota Corolla. When asked about weapons, Strumpf reportedly acknowledged the presence of a knife in the car.
The knife showed signs of blood, and according to reports, officers discovered the victim's credit card and driver's license in Strumpf's possession.
As per Internews Cast, Strumpf is reported to have said, "I killed an ally instead of an enemy because I can’t see what I’m doing," while he was at police headquarters. According to the affidavit, he allegedly admitted stabbing his father "several times in the neck area."
It is also purported that he claimed the knife discovered in the vehicle was the murder weapon.
After being taken by officers, Strumpf is being held without bond at the Boone County Jail. According to police, Strumpf does not have any criminal history in Missouri, but there is a warrant for his arrest in Colorado.
