Man 'beheaded' his own mum after 'kneeling on her neck until she died'

A man has been accused of 'decapitating' his own mum after kneeling on her neck until she died.

Bowen Fladland, 34, is alleged to have cut off his 70-year-old mother Marlene's head before burying her body in the front garden of his home in South Dakota, US. He was charged on Tuesday with first-degree and second-degree murder. Marlene Fladland’s body was found by police on July 8, but detectives believe she died at least three days earlier. A probable cause affidavit filed by prosecutors said one relative reported speaking with the mother on the morning of July 5, when she is said to have told them that her son had assaultedher.

After being arrested upon the discovery of her body, Bowen Fladland, who lived with his mother, admitted to "kneeling on her neck until she was apparently deceased and then used a tool to remove her head", the affidavit said.

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The document issued by prosecutors also detailed reports of him attacking her on previous occasions.

In 2023, Marlene told investigators at Watertown Police Department she had woken up to the sound of her son screaming, and had rushed to his room to comfort him when he grabbed her and started to squeeze her throat.

He then attacked her again the following morning, when he forced her against the refrigerator and constricted her throat "using both hands".

She escaped her son's clutches and ran in the direction of the bathroom, where she heard him "digging through the silverware drawer in the kitchen". Marlene opened the bathroom door to find her son holding two butter knives and telling her that he was "going to kill her."

He was found guilty of aggravated domestic assault, handed a suspended sentence and placed on supervised probation.

After hearing of her death earlier this month, neighbour Sandy Herrick told local news network KELO she was “devastated” and had a "hard time sleeping that night.”

The neighbour added: "She was such a sweet person. When I walked by, she would always say ‘Hi’ to me, and I’d say, ‘How are you doing today? And she’d say, ‘Good.’"

Fladland's bond has been set at $500,000 (£370,000) cash. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said: “The suspect and the victim knew each other, and there is no threat to the public. We ask the public to stay away from the crime scene so a thorough investigation can be done.”