California Man Beats 71-Year-Old Father to Death, Says He ‘Had to Finish the Job’ Over $5,000 Debt, Police Say

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA — A California man is in jail after allegedly beating his 71-year-old father to death and later telling investigators he had to “finish the job” because the victim owed him $5,000, according to police and court documents.

Authorities say 49-year-old Alfred Juarez Jr. was arrested and charged with murder, robbery, carjacking, and cruelty to an elderly person in the killing of his father, Alfred Juarez Sr., inside the older man’s Bakersfield home.

Juarez Jr. remains held without bond at the Kern County Jail, with his next court appearance scheduled for October 27.

Violent Attack Caught on Surveillance Video

Bakersfield Police officers responded to a home in the 6100 block of Chandler Way around 6:30 p.m. on October 13, after receiving reports of an unresponsive man.

When officers arrived, they found 71-year-old Juarez Sr. dead from apparent assault injuries. A review of surveillance video from the home allegedly showed the horrifying moments leading up to his death.

According to the probable cause affidavit obtained by KGET, the footage showed the father leaving his home as his son followed closely behind. Moments later, Juarez Jr. is seen forcefully pushing open the screen door and punching his father in the head.

Police say he then spun his father around, ripped car keys from his belt, and as the older man clutched his chest and fell to the ground, Juarez Jr. drove away in his father’s vehicle.

Suspect Told Police He ‘Had to Finish the Job’

When questioned by detectives, Juarez Jr. reportedly showed no remorse for the killing, allegedly telling investigators that his father’s death was the result of an ongoing dispute over money.

He told officers he went to the home to take his father’s car because the elder Juarez owed him $5,000, and became angry when his father refused to pay or asked him to leave.

“He said he went inside the home to finish the job,” the affidavit stated.

Police noted that Juarez Jr. was fully aware that his father had a history of heart attacks and suffered from poor health, making the assault particularly deadly.

History of Violence in the Family

Authorities also revealed that this was not the first violent encounter between the two men.

Back in 2020, Juarez Jr. reportedly assaulted his father, leading to a heart attack, though the elder man survived at that time. Investigators said the suspect made similar statements after that incident — suggesting that he did not regret his actions and even justified them.

This latest confrontation, however, ended tragically when Juarez Sr. was pronounced dead at the scene.

Community Shock and Ongoing Investigation

The Bakersfield community has expressed disbelief over the brutal nature of the killing — a son turning on his elderly father over a money dispute.

Police have not released further details on the investigation but confirmed that no additional suspects are being sought.

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