Prosecutors: Father beaten by son so badly, dental records needed to identify him
Ryland Salzman in court, KCPQ-TV
TACOMA -- A teen accused of beating his father to death with a cane at their Tacoma home pleaded not guilty to the crime in court Friday.
Prosecutors charged Rylan Salzman with 2nd degree murder and a judge set bail at $1-million.
According to Pierce County prosecutors, Salzman was at home "drinking with the victim" on June 6th when he heard his father on the phone arguing with his mother who was at a graduation party.
The teen apparently became upset that his father, Richard Salzman, was yelling at his mother, so he picked up a cane and hit him in the head several times, according to a news release from prosecutors.
Officials said the boy then dragged his father's body to a wooden storage box, put him inside and covered the body with cat litter, oil and dirt -- and put a flashlight and bicycle in the box as well. They said Salzman then went to pick up his mother from the graduation party.
On June 7th, the boy's mother reported her husband missing. Officials said Salzman told his mother not to invite anyone to their house or take any phone calls.
On June 10th, his mother was planning to use a search-and-rescue team to find her missing husband until the boy told her not to call them yet, according to prosecutors.
Officials say Salzman told his mother that he killed his father and put his body in the wooden box. They say his mother told him to call police and confess.
Police responded, searched the property and found the victim's body.
The medical examiner said the victim was beaten so badly, they had to use dental records to identify him. He died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Rylan Salzman's next court appearance is scheduled for July 16th.