A South Dakota man murdered his own mother and then decapitated her, according to authorities.
Bowen Fladland, 36, is charged with first- and second-degree murder in the death of Marlene Fladland, the South Dakota Attorney General”s Office said in a press release. A probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime said cops in Clark, a town of about 1,000 people in eastern South Dakota, responded Tuesday to a home North Cloud Street where they found the victim dead in the front yard.
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A relative told cops they spoke with Marlene Fladland around 10 a.m. Saturday. She told the relative her son was assaulting her. The mother and son live together at the home, cops noted. Detectives tracked Bowen Fladland to Watertown, some 30 miles east of his home, on Tuesday. He agreed to an interview.
“During a post-Miranda interview, Fladland admitted to assaulting his mother, kneeling on her neck until she was apparently deceased and then used a tool to remove her head,” the affidavit said.
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The affidavit did not include a motive for the slaying, but court records reportedly say Bowen Fladland had a history of assaulting his mother. Local CBS affiliate KELO obtained arrest reports reflecting charges of assault on consecutive days some two years ago. He reportedly grabbed her by the throat and pushed her to the bed, causing her to become light-headed. He also grabbed her by the throat the next day and shoved her against a refrigerator, KELO reported.
When Marlene Fladland escaped his grasp, he held up two butter knives and threatened to kill her, per records. He was convicted of aggravated battery and received a 10-year suspended jail sentence. He reportedly violated his probation about two months ago, according to KELO.
Bowen Fladland is currently at the Codington County Jail in Watertown on a $500,000 cash bond.
