A South Dakota man, Bowen Fladland, 36, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder in connection with the death of his mother, Marlene Fladland. The charges were announced by the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office. The arrest affidavit, obtained from Law&Crime, revealed that police in Clark, a small town in eastern South Dakota, were called to a residence on North Cloud Street where they discovered the deceased victim in the front yard.
According to the affidavit, a family member had spoken with Marlene Fladland around 10 a.m. on the day of the incident. She had informed the relative that her son was assaulting her. The mother and son shared the residence, as noted by the police. Authorities were able to locate Bowen Fladland in Watertown, approximately 30 miles east of his home, where he agreed to an interview.
During the interview, following his Miranda rights, Fladland confessed to assaulting his mother, kneeling on her neck until she was unresponsive, and then decapitating her using a tool, as per the affidavit. The document did not provide a motive for the gruesome act.
Court records, however, suggest that Bowen Fladland had a history of violence towards his mother. Local CBS affiliate KELO obtained arrest reports that showed charges of assault on consecutive days about two years prior. The reports detailed incidents where he had choked his mother, causing her to become light-headed, and had pushed her against a refrigerator.
The records also revealed a chilling incident where, after Marlene Fladland managed to break free from his grip, her son threatened her with two butter knives. Following these incidents, he was convicted of aggravated battery and was given a 10-year suspended jail sentence. He reportedly violated his probation approximately two months ago, as reported by KELO.
Bowen Fladland is currently being held at the Codington County Jail in Watertown. His bond has been set at $500,000 cash.