Santa Rosa police

Son Strangles Father, Bludgeons Him With Sledgehammer: Santa Rosa Police

A 33-year-old son was arrested on a homicide charge after Santa Rosa police say he strangled his father, and then bludgeoned him with a sledgehammer.

Angelo Michael Lancaster, aka, Kartar Khalsa, was booked into the Sonoma County Jail in connection with the homicide and burglary. It was not immediately clear if Lancaster was being represented by an attorney.

Sgt. David Linscomb said his father, Simran Khalsa, 64, was found dead in an upstairs bedroom in the 600 block of Wright Street on Sunday about 11:20 p.m. after a cousin who lives in the house called police to say his uncle was being attacked with a sledgehammer.

Officers found Simran Khalsa had suffered severe injuries to his head. Linscomb said the son had broken a glass front door, carrying the sledgehammer, and used it after some "short verbal exchange" with his father, which has not been fully explained. Linscomb only said it was over "family matters."

Linscomb said Lancaster was "apparently angry with his father over an earlier dispute." But he added that the two had recently reconciled after being estranged. Simran Khalsa had converted to Sikhism and gave his son a Sikh name, although the son preferred to be called "Angelo," Linscomb said.

The son was arrested in the backyard, hiding behind a tree.

This was the second homicide in Santa Rosa this year, Linscomb said. It was also the second high-profile parent killing in the Bay Area this month.

On Oct. 7, Joseph Badiali of Hayward, a 20-year-old UC Santa Cruz student, was charged for fatally stabbing his 57-year-old mother to death with a pair of scissors.

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