Crime & Safety

Morris County Teen Allegedly Told Dispatcher: 'I Murdered My Father'

Travis Hofstetter is lodged in Morris County Correctional Facility on $750,000 bail and charged with first-degree murder.

Morris County prosecutors said in court Wednesday that the Kinnelon teen accused of shooting and killing his father in their family home admitted to the crime while on the phone with emergency services.

According to dailyrecord.com, Travis Hofstetter, 18, called Hardyston police dispatch at the same time Kinnelon police had been contacted and asked to respond to the family’s Wedgewood Drive home.

Prosecutors said Hofstetter told the dispatcher multiple times, “I did something bad,” then admitted, “I murdered my father,” the report said.

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At that point, the report said, Hofstetter directed police to his whereabouts, near the Skylands Ice World on Route 23 in Stockholm, and that he was sitting in his Chevrolet Equinox.

Hofstetter was charged Monday with first degree murder and accused of killing his father, James Hofstetter, 57. No motive has been made public.

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When police found James Hofstetter dead in his home, an Enfield rifle was also found inside the residence along with shell casings and a live .303 round in Travis Hofstetter’s vehicle, dailyrecord.com reported.

Travis Hofstetter’s bail was maintained at $750,000 full cash on Wednesday. Just a half hour after his arraignment, the Kinnelon High School and Morris County School of Technology student was the focus of another court proceeding, this time accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in his car nine days before the murder.

The alleged victim was filing for a restraining order against Hofstetter during the court proceeding.

Pictured: Travis Hofstetter. Photo Credit: Travis Hofstetter’s Facebook profile.

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