Man convicted of murdering his father, freezing the body and using his credit card – South Arkansas Sun

ALVA, Fla. (TCN) — A man faces three decades behind bars for killing his father, whose remains were discovered in a running freezer last year.

According to a press release from the Florida State Attorney’s Office for the 20th Judicial District on August 26: Jake Hemmert pleaded no contest to second-degree murder with a firearm in connection with his father's death, as well as tampering with evidence, assault and fraudulent use of a credit card. Prosecutors said Hemmert was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 25 years, followed by 10 years of probation.

On August 28, 2023, a family member reported 60-year-old Brian Hemmert missing to Lee County Sheriff's Office. Officers went to a home where the victim's son, Jake Hemmert, eventually arrived in his father's car. after a statement of probable causeJake Hemmert reportedly told officers that his father was on a hunting trip and he had spoken to him on the phone.

In the probable cause statement, officers said Jake Hemmert allowed them to search the apartment but refused to let them into a locked bedroom “because his father kept his weapons there.” The sheriff's office described the defendant's behavior at the time as “very nervous.”

While searching the home, the Sheriff's Office learned that Jake Hemmert of Maricopa County, Arizona, was wanted on another warrant for theft and took him into custody.

According to the probable cause statement, Jake Hemmert told authorities he dropped his father off at the airport to travel to Utah and repeatedly said he spoke to him on the phone. However, Jake Hemmert did not allow officers to view his call logs.

The sheriff's office said a detective obtained a search warrant for the home and discovered Brian Hemmert's cellphone and credit card in his son's bedroom drawer. According to prosecutors, officers also found air fresheners throughout the home, as well as blood stains in the master bathroom. In a subsequent interview, Jake Hemmert reportedly claimed “his father fled the country to fight human trafficking.”

Investigators reportedly learned that a large freezer was delivered to Jake Hemmert's home on June 22, 2023. Authorities said this coincided with a sudden change in the victim's credit card usage and cell phone activity.

According to the probable cause affidavit, during another search of the residence on September 7, 2023, officers found the freezer hidden under supplies, still in use, and sealed with tape. Authorities removed the tape, opened the freezer, and reportedly found Brian Hemmert's remains.

An autopsy later revealed that Brian Hemmert had suffered gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide. Investigators also reportedly obtained financial records and discovered that Jake Hemmert had been using his father's credit card daily since the victim's disappearance, resulting in charges totaling over $23,000.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Jake Hemmert's DNA was found on the freezer and he later confessed to the crimes on September 13, 2023. However, he reportedly said he shot his father in bed to encourage him to commit suicide.

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