In August of 2015, the life of Robert Schendel, a 55-year-old White male from Council Bluffs, Iowa, was tragically cut short. On Wednesday, August 12, 2015, he was found deceased in his home. The circumstances of his death soon pointed to a violent end, and an investigation was launched to uncover the truth behind what had happened.
Suspicion quickly fell upon his own son, 20-year-old Sean Schendel. Investigators determined that Sean had shot and killed his father.
The motive for this patricide appeared to be rooted in a theft. It was discovered that Sean had stolen $100 from his father, and when Robert Schendel realized the money was missing, a fatal altercation ensued. Following the murder, Sean took money from his father's bank account and fled in his father's van, heading to Colorado. His social media posts indicated a plan to visit a marijuana dispensary to celebrate his upcoming 21st birthday.
The search for Sean Schendel came to an end on a Friday in Sterling, Colorado, where he was apprehended by police. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the death of his father. Ultimately, Sean Schendel pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including voluntary manslaughter, first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree theft, unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, and obstruction of justice. In October 2016, a judge sentenced him to 50 years in prison for his crimes, bringing a close to the tragic case of a father killed by his own son.
