BOSTON, MA – The jury trial has commenced for a Massachusetts man accused of drowning his father during a mental health episode in 2021. Jack Callahan, 22, is facing charges of murder as the trial seeks to determine his guilt in the death of his father, Scott Callahan, 57. The disturbing incident occurred in Duxbury, Massachusetts, where Jack believed his father was “possessed” and attempted to baptize him in a local pond.
According to reports from The Patriot Ledger, witnesses were summoned to testify in the trial, shedding light on the events leading up to the alleged murder. Jack reportedly informed the police that he picked up his father, who was battling alcoholism, after suspecting him of drinking at a bar. However, instead of going home, the then-19-year-old requested their Uber driver to drop them off at a nearby pond under the guise of wanting to smoke a cigarette. It was at this location that an altercation unfolded between father and son.
At the suspect’s 2021 arraignment, Plymouth Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham revealed Jack’s account of the incident, stating that he believed he was baptizing his father in the pond. He described the disturbing scene of holding his father in the water, repeatedly submerging his head while lifting it up when he coughed or choked. The alleged act continued until the father ceased struggling and eventually stopped floating.
Furthermore, prosecutors claimed that Jack believed his father was possessed by a demon named “Dirty Dan” and sought to release the evil spirit through baptism in the pond. These shocking revelations emerged during the trial, causing emotional distress for both Jack and those present in the courtroom.
As the trial unfolds, the courtroom will hear further evidence and testimony concerning Jack’s mental state and the circumstances that led to his father’s tragic demise.
Jack Callahan has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, and the jury will ultimately decide his fate based on the evidence presented during the trial.