PAINESVILLE, Ohio — A Painesville man pleaded not guilty to murdering his father inside the family's Sanford Street home Sunday in a crime that neighbors said they struggle to understand.
"You're trying to fathom what happened and still wishing it had not happened," said neighbor Gary Mullins. "[You want to] wake up, and it was a dream, but it's not going to happen now."
Just before 1 a.m. Sunday, Painesville police said they were called to the home in the 300 block of Sanford Street for a shooting.
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Officers arrived and said they found 67-year-old Christopher J. Farmer dead.
His 23-year-old son, Christopher Paul Farmer, is charged with the murder.
Monday evening, a solemness hung over the neighborhood.
"Just quiet," said Mullins. "Like a numbness in the air."
A disbelief, neighbors said, that the boy they watched grow up is now accused of the unthinkable.
"They had their arguments and stuff and he'd leave, wouldn't see him for months at a time and then he'd show back up," said Mullins. "I never dreamed of nothing like this happening."
Christopher Farmer pleaded not guilty Monday to murdering his father.
Police have not commented publicly on a motive.
But on Sanford Street, there's a feeling that there's more to the story than what investigators have said.
"I think there's probably some kind of issues going on," said Bonnie Sirotick as she sat on her front steps near the family's home.
But what could it have been?
Neighbors said the family largely kept to themselves and were quiet people.
Now they're shocked by the ending but left wondering what they don't know about what was happening behind the doors of the family's home.
"You're trying to fathom what happened and still wishing it had not happened," said Mullins. "[You want to] wake up, and it was a dream. but it's not going to happen now."
Christopher Farmer remains in jail, held without bond.
He's due back in court next Monday.
