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Teen Accused Of Shooting Father In Head, Living With Body For A Week

GYPSUM, Colo. (CBS4) - Investigators say a 13-year-old boy shot and killed his father and tried to conceal the slaying from authorities.

The Eagle County Sheriff's Office says the young suspect lived alone in the house in Gypsum with the victim's lifeless body for nearly a week.

Gypsum is a small town in western Eagle County.

Neighbors told CBS4 Joseph Kelly Jr. and his son Kai Kelly lived in the home for more than a year but no one heard anything out of the ordinary about a week ago. It wasn't until a deputy showed up that the boy admitted his father was dead inside.

It was some time around April 29 or 30 when Kai Kelly allegedly got his hands on rifle.

Eagle County coroner Kara Bettis
Eagle County coroner Kara Bettis (credit: CBS)

"There's a little office area off the kitchen," Eagle County coroner Kara Bettis said.

Kai allegedly fired at least two shots.

GYPSUM MURDER  MAP
(credit: CBS)

"There was one to the back of the head and one to the temple," Bettis said. "The one to the temple was contact and the one in the back of his head was from farther away."

Kai Kelly ended up calling into his father's work every day reporting his father as sick. After a few days the supervisor from this county-run transit department got suspicious and called police.

"He had been dead for around six days," Bettis said.

Eagle County Sheriff Joseph Hoy
Eagle County Sheriff Joseph Hoy (credit: CBS)

Eagle County Sheriff Joseph Hoy says they've only been called to the house once -- a year ago -- for a domestic dispute between the parents.

"The juvenile answered the door and told deputies that his 50-year-old father was deceased in the residence," Hoy said.

While the boy admitted his father was dead, the sheriff says there's still no motive.

On Tuesday the sheriff's office told CBS4 the teen's mother has not been living in the home with her son or ex-husband but won't release any more information.

Kai Kelly is in the juvenile facility in Jefferson County but has been charged with first-degree murder.

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