A coroner's investigation into the death of Larry Rafferty Sr. has ruled his death a reckless homicide.
Blunt trauma to the head due to a fall. Moline Detective David Taylor testified at today's inquest. He says the Larry Rafferty Sr had had problems with his son Larry Jr for years, and on December 13th 2011 things turned violent.
"Larry junior wasn't stable he had a problem with alcohol and he was highly intoxicated that day," says Taylor.
Larry Jr. is disabled and every month receives a disability check, but the state of Illinois deemed him unable to manage his own finances, so the money is sent to his father. When Jr. and two friends showed up at the Rafferty funeral home looking for cash on December 13th, even the business's secretary knew something terrible was about to happen.
"She became very scared when it looked like it was going to become physical. She has had run ins with Jr. before and she got scared so she went and locked the door when she returned Larry Sr was lying motionless on the ground," says Taylor. Investigators say Larry Jr struggled with his father, overpowering him and pushing backwards into a one of the funeral home's pillars. That push left Larry Rafferty Sr. with severe head injuries - his brain was swollen and bleeding. When Moline PD arrived Larry Jr admitted to it all.
"During the course of our conversation he admitted that him and Larry Sr had gotten into an argument that it did become physical and he did push his father down," says Taylor.
Larry Jr now faces involuntary manslaughter charges, and could spend between seven and 14 years behind bars.