CARMEL, Ind. — A Carmel man, who killed his father and injured his mother in February 2022, will spend more than 80 years in prison after being sentenced.
Christopher Claerbout was found guilty of murder, criminal confinement, theft and other charges.
The incident happened in the 3500 block of Rolling Springs Drive, which is just northeast of 106th Street and Keystone Avenue, the evening of Feb. 21, 2022.
A man called 911 and said he believed there was a domestic dispute happening across the street in the 3500 block of Rolling Springs Drive, near 106th Street and Keystone Avenue. The witness said he saw a man, later identified as David Claerbout, lying in a driveway.
The 911 operator asked the witness about the man's condition, to which he responded, "I'm not sure that he is alive."
The witness also said he saw a woman, later identified as Marcia Claerbout, whose face was black and blue and looked like she had been tied up with a cord, with the man in the driveway.
The first Carmel police officer got to the scene a few minutes after the 911 call. Firefighters and medics arrived shortly after and tried to render aid to David , but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Marcia, who was in handcuffs and had cuts on her left arm and the left side of her face, told police her son, Christopher, drove off in her husband's white Chevy Traverse shortly before the neighbor called 911. Christopher reportedly left his own vehicle, a Lincoln passenger car, in his parents' garage.
Marcia told police Christopher put her in handcuffs and tied her up. Marcia was then taken to St. Vincent Hospital to treat her injuries.
Police interviewed Marcia at the hospital, where she explained how the incident started.
Marcia said she was getting ready to go to a senior citizen center for a class when her son, Christopher, showed up. She said he got in through the garage with the code.
According to Marcia, Christopher pushed her down about 10 stairs and then handcuffed and tied her up with an extension cord.
Marcia said Christopher believed she wasn't his mother and mentioned other conspiracy theories, including Christopher thinking he is Black, Christopher thinking he is Donald Trump, and Christopher believing his parents are Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Marcia told police her husband, David, got home around 6 p.m. and saw her tied up and asked what was happening. She said David and Christopher went outside through the garage and started arguing.
Marcia said she was able to free herself from the extension cord and get outside to see what was happening. When she went outside, Marcia said she saw David unconscious and believed Christopher stabbed him with a switchblade-style knife he pulled on her earlier in the day.
Police at the scene contacted OnStar to find out where the stolen white Traverse was headed. By that time, the vehicle was going south on Interstate 65, near Seymour.
Indiana State Police and the Clark County Sheriff's Office located the white Traverse on I-65, and OnStar then disabled the vehicle.
As the vehicle was coming to a stop, officers said Christopher ran into a wooded area. Officers found and arrested Christopher, with the help of a K-9.
Christopher was then taken from the Clark County Jail to the Carmel Police Department to be interviewed.
Christopher told police that Marcia told him he was molested as a child and that she covered it up. He claimed his parents passed him around for sex as a child to a lot of politicians.
During his interview with police, Christopher also claimed that he is Donald Trump and that his mother is Hillary Clinton and his father is Bill Clinton.
Christopher told police he initially planned to arrest his mother and was going to take her to Florida but believed it would be hard to make it since she had a lot of connections. In his interview, Christopher said he was going to hold his mother under the War Crimes Act for the crimes she committed against him and the crimes she committed against the country.
Police asked Christopher if he had seen his father that day, but he did not answer the question.
An autopsy ruled David's death a homicide. The doctor said David had 20 stab wounds in his hand, chest, back and abdomen. He also noted internal injuries.
When investigators got ahold of the Traverse, they found a 7-inch black knife, with a set of brass knuckles attached to the grip, in the center console cup holder.
13News checked Cristopher's criminal history and found it includes battery with a deadly weapon in 2004, and in a 2013 case, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.