On March 11, 2026, at approximately 1:47 P.M., Saint Paul Officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Van Buren Avenue, Saint Paul, County of Ramsey, on a domestic assault involving a son who punched his father. Officers arrived on scene and found JM, (eighty-two-year-old) who had a significant laceration to his head. JM’s wife, LM, was also present. LM said JM had his “head bashed in.” JM and LM were covered in blood. There was blood on the floor and blood on a couch. JM had a towel over his head that was soaked in blood.
JM’s hands were also swollen. LM said JM’s hands appeared to be injured during the incident. The suspect-BYRON JOHN MOORE [DOB REDACTED], walked outside of the residence. He was arrested. Medics were called and transported JM to Regions Hospital. LM said that MOORE moved in with them a few weeks prior when he lost his apartment. MOORE refused to look for a job and they were frustrated with his lack of motivation. On this date, MOORE showered at approximately 1:30 P.M. MOORE exited the bathroom and told them the towel rack came off the wall.
MOORE said he did not know what happened. She and JM were upset because they recently spent money to refurbish the bathroom and did not have money for repairs. JM went with MOORE to assess the damage. They began to argue in the bathroom. JM told MOORE he needed to leave. JM stepped back into the living room, and MOORE followed him. JM shoved MOORE in the shoulder to push him away from him. MOORE attacked d JM, striking him several times in the back of his head with his fist and knocking him to the floor.
MOORE continued to strike JM in the back of the head. JM tried to get up several times, but was knocked back down by JM’s strikes. LM tried to pull MOORE off of JM, but she was knocked to the floor. When she fell down, MOORE stopped hitting JM, picked her up, and placed her on the bed. JM went to the kitchen to call police. LM said she was not injured. At Regions Hospital, JM spoke to an officer. JM said he had not seen MOORE violent with anyone in the past and does not know why he attacked him. JM said he does not want MOORE to return.
After a Miranda advisory, MOORE spoke to an officer. He said he was in the bathroom taking a bath and accidentally pulled the towel rack too hard, breaking it. He knew his dad, JM, would be upset, but he told him. He was standing in the bathroom putting on deodorant when JM went over and told him he needed to use the bathroom. MOORE said he did not want to leave the bathroom because he was not finished. JM grabbed the cap of the deodorant off of the sink. He told him to give it back, but JM threw it on the floor.
JM walked into the kitchen. MOORE followed him and demanded that he pick up the deodorant cap, but he refused to do so. JM grabbed the portable phone. MOORE thought he was going to call police. MOORE took the phone away from JM. They moved into the living room. JM punched him in the head or shoulder. MOORE punched JM, in self-defense, causing him to fall to the floor. After his dad landed on the floor, he continued to punch him in the head and body. MOORE struck his dad approximately five to ten times in the head and approximately three to four times in the body.