Dad accused of decapitating disabled son

THIBODAUX, La. - Authorities say a Louisiana man is accused of decapitating his disabled 7-year-old son and leaving the boy's head near the street.

Thibodaux Police Chief Scott Silverii says 30-year-old Jeremiah Lee Wright has confessed to killing Jori Lirette. Wright was booked with first-degree murder and being held Monday in lieu of $5 million bond.

The Houma Courier reports police have accused Wright of using a meat cleaver to decapitate the boy over the kitchen sink. A driver noticed the boy's head by the side of the road and called police; his body was in a nearby trash bag.

Silverii says the motive is unclear, though Wright told police he was tired of taking care of the boy, who, according to the Courier, had cerebral palsy and limited mental capabilities. Jori Lirette was confined to a wheelchair and required a feeding tube.

The police chief says the child's mother, Jesslyn Lirette, came home Sunday to find the house blocked with police tape. He says officers who told her of the killing were in tears when they left her.

Jesslyn Lirette, who said the boy loved his father more than anything, has been in a relationship with Wright for 10 years. People close to the couple described the relationship as tense and "rocky" in recent years.

Police spokesman Ricky Ross says he does not believe Wright has an attorney.

Jesslyn Lirette said the couple had fought the night before, and that leaving Wright had been on her mind for some time.

"I didn't get out fast enough," she told the Courier.