In 1842 John Byrd was lead by his son 16-year-old Amos into the woods. Amos told John that they were going to help with deer hunting with some neighbors in a wooded area in Jackson, Missouri. They mounted on horseback and went into the woods. They did not return that night and it worried the family. They searched and found Amos
They late found John underneath some brush. He had been shot in the back of the neck and the bullet exited under his mouth. He also had his throat slit. He was found within a few hundred yards of their house.
His son originally claimed that they met a foul stranger in the woods. He said that the stranger made threats against him if he did not leave him and the father alone. He stated he thought his father was shot because he heard the gun go off. The boy went to a house and stayed the night with a man. The man claimed to have also heard a gunshot.
Police did not trust Amos as his story changed several times. He then was brought in front of the Justices and then he admitted he had killed his father. He had stolen the gun from a neighbor and hid it in the woods. The motive for his murder was because his son was not allowed to use the gun. Articles talked about how the son did not have the mental capabilities to understand what he did. He may have had some sort of learning disability as he was described as "not a boy of ordinarily good sense" and a "simpleton".
(I believe the name of the son is Amos due to how one of the articles was clipped)
SOURCES:
The Radical
Boon's Lick Time
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