"Suspicious circumstances"

106-year-old grandmother murdered by her own grandson

One day before Christmas, a court issued an arrest warrant for Michael Ferguson on suspicion of murder.(Bild: Stock fresh - stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

The public prosecutor's office in Amarillo, Texas, has charged Michael Alexander Ferguson with the murder of his own grandmother. What makes this sad case so extraordinary is that Cecilia Agnes Ferguson was 106 years old at the time of her death. This makes her the oldest murder victim in US criminal history.

Despite her advanced age, Ferguson was still living at home. She did this with the help of her grandson Michael, who lived in the small house with her and looked after his grandmother.

At the end of November, the 35-year-old alerted the police. He had found his grandmother. According to local TV station KFDA, investigators found signs at the scene that the death had occurred under "suspicious circumstances".

Evidence incriminates grandson
The grandson denied having anything to do with the death. However, the autopsy report and the medical examiner's report showed that the cause of death was clearly not his fault. Soon afterwards, investigators came across evidence that clearly pointed to Michael as the suspected murderer.

The grandson of the deceased denied having anything to do with the death. However, the autopsy report and the medical examiner's report showed that the cause of death was clearly not Michael's fault.(Bild: Staatsanwaltschaft Amarillo )

Arrest warrant on suspicion of murder
One day before Christmas, a court issued an arrest warrant for the 35-year-old on suspicion of murder. He must remain in custody at the Potter County Detention Center until the trial and is not entitled to bail.

Ferguson is no stranger to the authorities. He was sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated assault in 2013 - following an assault on two family members. He was arrested again in 2021, this time for a "serious traffic offense".

Death toll breaks sad record
According to Thomas Hargrove, founder of the non-profit "Murder Accountability Project", murders of people aged 99 or older are statistically rare in the USA. There have only been 130 cases since 1976. In no case was the victim older than Ferguson. In an email inquiry, Hargrove wrote: "The oldest case I know of was a nearly 102-year-old woman who was stabbed to death during a robbery in New York State in 2018."