Son told police he fatally stabbed father in self-defense

A 21-year-old man fatally stabbed his father with a machete this week, claiming he acted in self-defense, police said.

Jacob Racilis, faces a murder charge for allegedly killing his father at Desert Garden Condominiums, 1720 W. Bonanza Road, near Martin Luther King Boulevard.

The police found a 54-year-old man dead around 4 a.m. on Tuesday. A machete was on the ground outside next to the front door, which was slightly open, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report.

The man suffered multiple lacerations on his head, neck, arms and upper torso.

Racilis and his mother went to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center around 1 a.m. because Racilis had lacerations on his hands. He told police his father would not stop screaming at his mom and stepped toward her. Racilis said he feared for his mom’s safety and grabbed a machete, according to the report.

Racilis’ mother left the hospital before officers arrived.

Racilis later told police he has short-term memory and was enrolled in special education classes when he was in school.

He said he acted in self-defense and that his father would physically abuse him and his mother. Racilis said his father last hit him two years ago, according to the report.

As of late Thursday, Racilis remained in custody without bail. He is due in court on Monday.

Contact David Wilson at dwilson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter.