In the small town of Garrett, Indiana, the life of 45-year-old Keith Allen Secrest came to a tragic and violent end on Tuesday, December 6, 2016. A hardworking man who had been employed since he was 15, he was a loving father, husband, brother, and son. His life was abruptly cut short when he was found deceased in the bed of his home. An investigation into his death would soon reveal a familial horror.
Hours after the discovery of his body, police arrested a suspect in connection with the killing: his own 20-year-old son, Branston Secrest. The arrest followed a police chase that ended in Fort Wayne. The grim details of the crime painted a disturbing picture of the events that transpired within the family's home. Keith Allen Secrest had been shot 13 times with a 9-millimeter handgun. A note was found at the scene, apparently left by Branston for his mother, which read, 'Don't go in there Mom call 911.'
Following his arrest, Branston Secrest was charged with the murder of his father. In interviews with authorities, he alleged that the shooting was an act of self-defense. He claimed that his father had accused him of stealing his bike and initiated a physical altercation by choking him. It was then, he stated, that he shot his father. However, police noted that there were no signs of such a struggle and that Keith Secrest's body was discovered on his bed.
As the legal proceedings began, it was revealed that Branston Secrest's attorney planned to use an insanity defense. The defense intended to argue that the 20-year-old had a significant history of mental illness. A DeKalb County judge appointed two physicians to examine him in preparation for the trial. This set the stage for a court case that would delve into the complex and tragic dynamics that led to a son taking his father's life.
