South Hadley Man Killed His Father, Attempted To Burn Down Home, DA Alleges

Craig R. Weise was charged on Wednesday, Dec. 7, with the murder of his father, David Weise Sr., and attempted arson, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. Craig Weise was being held in a Hampden County jail on an unrelated charge. 

Police discovered David Weise Sr.'s body at his home at 37 Lawn Street on Sept. 9 after a healthcare agency called officers to request a welfare check, the prosecutor said. They also found evidence of burning inside the house as well. 

Police handed the case over to the Chief Medical Examiner, who ruled the death a homicide.

Investigators in Holyoke tried to speak with Craig Weise about the killing the following day, but he attacked the officers and was Tased, the Daily Hampshire Gazette reported. He's been held ever since at the Hampden County House of Correction on charges of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest, reports said. 

The prosecutor's office says they have enough evidence to secure a conviction, though they didn't go into detail. 

“Investigators have worked tirelessly since Mr. Weise’s body was discovered on September 9 to identify the perpetrator of this crime,” Northwestern Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Suhl said in a press release. “We are confident in the evidence we’ve gathered.”

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