East Ridge Police said a man found covered in blood outside a house had just killed his father.
Police said Caleb Disterdick, 26, kept saying, "I killed my dad."
Police said Jason "Chris" Disterdick, 52, of Conway, Ar., the father of Disterdick, was found decapitated inside the house at 1437 Greens Lake Road.
At approximately 7 p.m., East Ridge Police received a dispatch call to the 1400 block of Greenslake Road regarding a potential assault.
As police approached the home, multiple people were flagging officers down and pointing towards Desterdick, who was in the driveway with a blanket around him, and he was covered with blood. After telling police "I killed my dad," he was placed at gun point and told to get on the ground.
As police approached the house, the right front window was found to be busted out, with blood on the window sill. The front door of the residence was locked, but officers were able to enter the home through the back door, which was unlocked.
Officers found blood in the living room of the home, and following a blood trail, observed a man lying on his stomach, with the man's head lying near his feet. A large knife was sticking out of the man at the base of his neck.
The home was found to be empty of any other residents.
Officers were shown a bottle of water and a pile of clothes directly across the street from the home, at 4018 W. Stump St., that Disterdick had taken off before police arrived. The clothes were soaked in what appeared to be blood.
When Disterdick was examined by EMS, he had a deep laceration on his lower left leg that needed immediate medical attention. While waiting for EMS, Disterdick repeatedly made random comments and said, "I had to protect the kids."
Disterdick was taken for medical clearance and is in custody with charges pending.
According to a Facebook page, a Caleb Disterdick living in Chattanooga is from Maumell, Ark., and went to high school there. He studied at the University of Central Arkansas.
The page said he is in medical sales.