Lunatic son, 44, beat his elderly parents, then left them for dead in torched home as they begged him to ‘come back’ and ‘help us’

A tragic incident unfolded in Massachusetts when a son, Darius Hazard, was arrested for allegedly beating his elderly parents and setting their home on fire, resulting in their deaths. The victims, Venture, 76, and Donald, 83, were found lifeless in their North Adams home after it was engulfed in flames. Hazard was charged with murder and arson in connection with the incident.

According to prosecutors, Hazard claimed he “snapped” while assisting his mother, who suffered from advanced arthritis and scoliosis, after she fell in the early hours of the morning. He proceeded to violently attack both of his parents, pushing them to the floor, hitting them, and throwing objects at them. The situation escalated when Hazard doused the first floor of the house in gasoline and set it on fire, leaving his parents inside as they pleaded for help.

Neighbors noticed smoke coming from the home a few hours later and alerted authorities, who discovered the elderly couple dead in the living room. The medical examiner determined that both victims died from smoke inhalation. Hazard was apprehended in a Walmart parking lot shortly after the incident.

Community members expressed shock over the tragedy, describing the Hazard family as respected members of the neighborhood. They found it difficult to reconcile the heinous acts committed by Darius with the person they knew. Some mentioned that Hazard had a learning disability, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.

Hazard has entered a plea of not guilty and is being held without bail at Berkshire County House of Correction. He is scheduled to appear in court on December 29 for further proceedings. The heartbreaking incident has left the community reeling, grappling with the loss of two beloved individuals and trying to make sense of the senseless violence that took place.