The son of a 69-year-old Winnipeg man is accused of killing his father at a Rochester, Minn., hotel and then confessing to a nurse at the Mayo Clinic.
Police found the body of James Francis Clancy Friday morning, lying face down on the floor with a towel wrapped around his neck and partially covered by a blanket, according to court documents filed today in Olmsted County.
Sean Clancy, 40, of Eads, Tenn., has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder. One charge alleges he committed intentional murder without premeditation while the second charge alleges it's an unintenational murder while committing a felony.
He's being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 11, Olmsted District Judge Jodi Williamson ordered.
The father and son were booked into separate rooms at the Holiday Inn Expresss in downtown Rochester.
Police said they were called to the hotel after a housekeeper reported finding a body in one of the rooms. Sean Clancy's wife, Melonie, phoned police after being contacted by Sean that morning, police said.
Sean Clancy was arrested at the nearby Mayo Clinic about an hour later. Investigators alleged that he had confessed to killing his dad to an on-duty nurse at the hospital.
Patricia Christofferson told officers that Clancy had arrived at the clinic shortly before 9 a.m. and said he needed medical help, police said.
Christofferson also said Clancy told her he and his dad had been out drinking the night before and got into an argument when they got back to the hotel. Police said Clancy told the nurse that his father tossed a towel at him.
"Clancy in turn, grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his (dad's) neck and squeezed," court documents said the nurse told police.
Reached at her home in Rochester Monday, Christofferson declined comment.
Winnipeg relatives of the family wouldn't comment Monday.
Minneapolis attorney Peter Wold, who represents Sean Clancy, wouldn't comment.
james.turner@freepress.mb.ca
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