Teen Allegedly Killed Mom When She Told Him to Quit Smoking

Deputies in Polk County arrested a 19-year-old Lake Wales, Florida, man on Thursday who is accused of shooting and killing his mother.

According to Sheriff Grady Judd, the mother had just returned home when she smelled smoke coming from the bedroom of her son, Seth Settle, WFLA reported Friday.

She apparently told him to quit smoking, then shut the door. However, Settle allegedly shot her through the door, the bullet going through her heart.

Judd explained Settle dashed through the home, calling for his older brother, who was in a bathroom and did not hear him. Settle then went to a friend’s home and claimed he accidentally shot his mother.

“Fled past her, didn’t help, didn’t dial 911, hollered something at the brother on the way out of the door,” Judd commented.

The older son eventually found his mother unresponsive. Later, hospital workers told the family she died from unknown circumstances until they located the gunshot wound and a nurse saw a little bit of blood.

Gunshot wounds that pass through an individual’s body but miss major organs, blood vessels, or their bones can result in less damage, according to Medline Plus.

Deputies eventually arrested Settle, who claimed he was pointing the weapon at his head the moment his mother appeared. The suspect reportedly said the gun accidentally fired.

However, officials believe he was angry and the sheriff said, “We’re absolutely confident with the type of mom that this is, there’s no way she would’ve closed that door with her son holding a gun to his head.”

Settle also claimed he left the guns in the woods, but according to Judd, a friend took the weapons from the house. The suspect reportedly bought the guns on the street.

He was charged with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, several counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer, and discharging a firearm on residential property.

“We do a criminal history. Not one blemish on anyone’s name. Mom, dad, the four kids… This is truly the wonderful family next door, and he kills his mom,” Judd said during a press conference.