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Son Arrested In Death Of Father, Wounding Of Sister, Mom

News Channel 8 photo by CHIP OSOWSKI

Hillsborough County deputies arrive at the scene of a fatal stabbing on Hollyglen Drive.

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Published: July 23, 2008

Updated: 07/23/2008 10:36 pm

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James Kenneth McElroy

TAMPA - Deputies have arrested a 21-year-old man who they say fatally stabbed his father and seriously wounded his mother and sister at their Plantation area home early Wednesday morning.

Killed was James McElroy, 50. Karen McElroy, 53 and Michelle McElroy, 18, were taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, where they were listed in critical condition.

Another daughter was home at the time but managed to escape the house uninjured, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Deputies found James Kenneth McElroy late Wednesday in the parking lot of Camden Wood Apartments on Hillsborough Avenue, Carter said. Earlier Wednesday, the sheriff's office issued warrants for first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder for McElroy. Deputies say they still are trying to piece together a motive

Detectives are interviewing McElroy and he is expected to be booked into Orient Road Jail after that, Carter said.

The stabbing happened about 4:16 a.m. at 11309 Hollyglen Drive. Deputies found James McElroy's body when they went to the home in response to a call for help, said Sgt. Mike Hurley of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The three victims lived at the home, as did James Kenneth McElroy. The victims suffered "upper-body trauma," Hurley said.

The father and son had a history of violence.

In September 2006, deputies arrested the father and charged him with aggravated battery with great bodily harm. Deputies said McElroy's father struck him in the face. The two fell to the ground and continued to fight.

The son was taken to a hospital with a broken nose and possible broken orbital bone.

The aggravated battery charge was dropped in February 2007 because of insufficient evidence, said state attorney's spokeswoman Pam Bondi, referring to the case file. Bondi said the file shows the mother witnessed the crime and said her husband acted in self-defense because her son struck first.

Deputies had one prior call for service to the family's home this year. On Saturday, there was a call of a disturbance at the home. No report was written.

Deputies arrested him in May on charges of possessing marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony fleeing to elude and obstructing or opposing an officer without violence. That case is pending.

James McElroy died at the scene of the stabbing.

Neighbor Hadeel Nabil, 22, said the stabbing victims moved in to the home recently and she did not know them well. She said they seemed quiet and that the neighborhood is a nice place to live.

Craig Balden, the victims' next-door neighbor, said the family had lived in the house for two or three months.

"They seem like pretty good folks, friendly. I've talked to them several times," Balden said Wednesday as a deputy searched his backyard with a police dog.

Researcher Michael Messano contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com.

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