TMP Reports
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 12:16 pm

Roger VanBlorcom

An 81-year-old mother suffered serious injuries when her son allegedly beat her with a baseball bat Wednesday morning at their home, a Murfreesboro Police spokesman said.

Victim Loraine Van Blarcom of Independence Way was admitted to Middle Tennessee Medical Center, spokesman Kyle Evans said.

“She remains in serious condition,” Evans said.

Son Roger Van Blarcom, 45, who lives with her, was charged with attempted first-degree murder. He is being held at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.

Police were called about 5:45 a.m. to the home off Saddlebrook Drive about a complaint of the mother being struck “multiple times with a baseball bat,” Evans said.

“She had been severely beaten,” Evans said.

Officer Bob Sirising reported several officers responded to the call where the son stated he killed his mother. They heard a woman screaming from pain.

Officers kicked in the back door and entered the home where they found Van Blarcom with blood on his hands “standing over an elderly female who was bleeding and laying face down in the garage,” Sirising reported.

Police ordered the son to put his hands up. Sirising took him into custody.

Paramedics treated the woman while driving her to the medical center.

The mother told Sirising she awoke about 4:30 a.m. because of worries about her husband in a nursing home. Her son came downstairs and asked her, “Do you want to go to heaven?” and struck her with his fists.

“Mrs. Van Blarcom advised she covered her head with her arms, begged Mr. Van Blarcom to stop and then he pulled her off the couch and told her she was the devil and he was ‘punishing her for what she did to him when he was a child,’” Sirising reported.

She accused her son of striking her with the bat and dragging her downstairs to the garage where she heard him say, “I killed her,” the officer reported.

Detective Doug Arrington, who is investigating, obtained an arrest warrant and charged the son.

Roger Van Blarcom was charged in August with simple assault after he was accused of threatening neighbors with a bat.

In that case, Officer Ray Daniel reported neighbor Gregory Robertson accused Van Blarcom of walking into his yard armed with a baseball bat, complaining about drugs, prostitution and traffic.

Van Blarcom told Daniel he warmed the neighbors of the illegal activity. His parents told the officer they feared their son would hurt them.

A hearing on the attempted murder charge is pending in General Sessions Court.