A 25-year-old Dunnellon man has been arrested for second-degree murder, weeks after he reportedly shot his father and buried the body in the backyard of his home.

Back on Saturday, May 16, Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies initially began investigating the disappearance of 43-year-old Andres Bahamon-Prada. According to MCSO, a family member reported that the victim, Bahamon-Prada, had not been seen since Thursday, May 7.

During the missing person investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant for a home located at on NW 225th Avenue in Dunnellon, and the search was executed on Monday, May 18. While on the property, detectives reportedly observed an area of freshly dug dirt in the backyard, where they uncovered human remains that were later identified as the missing victim.

Detectives allegedly located multiple items inside the home that appeared to be covered in dried blood, including a washcloth/rag that was found in a trash bag in a closet near Bahamon’s bedroom.

In addition, a glass door leading to the backyard was reportedly shattered, and a gun holster and ammunition were allegedly found in a bedroom belonging to the victim’s 25-year-old son, Andres Ray Bahamon.

MCSO stated that Bahamon was already in custody at Marion County Jail following his arrest on May 18 for allegedly tampering with evidence in connection with the victim’s missing person investigation.

During an interview with detectives at the jail, Bahamon allegedly confessed to fatally shooting his father, claiming that he had “asked God a million times” to allow him to kill the victim. 

According to an MCSO arrest report, Bahamon told detectives that he believed he was doing God’s work, alleging that his father was trying to “link up with Satanic people” and kill him. Bahamon then reportedly provided extensive details to detectives about how he shot the victim multiple times before dragging the victim’s body out to the backyard, where it was buried in an attempt to avoid arrest.

On Tuesday, June 9, Bahamon was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of his father, in addition to the evidence tampering charge. He remains in custody at Marion County Jail without bond.

A court date for Bahamon has not yet been scheduled, according to jail records.