Authorities in North Carolina have arrested a 16-year-old in Durham on suspicion of murdering his father last year.

According to WRAL, 59-year-old Bill Bishop was a well-known developer in Florida before moving to North Carolina.

He was reportedly found unresponsive at his home on April 18 with a dog leash wrapped around his neck and pronounced dead days later at an area hospital.

A grand jury indicted his son, Alexander Bishop, on a criminal count of murder in connection with the homicide, which an autopsy revealed was caused by a heart attack brought on by loss of oxygen from a ligature strangulation.

Investigators had long suspected the teen’s involvement and said his account of the day’s events began to shift over time.

Police reports indicate Alexander Bishop initially claimed he found his father wrapped up in the leash, which he said was still attached to a frantic dog who was “freaking out” at the time. He said he removed the leash and felt to see if his father had a pulse.

Court records show that he told police that his father was emotionally abusive and that he wasn’t upset by the death.

“Alexander explained that there had never been anything physical to occur, just constant verbal abuse over minor things like dishes being left in the sink and homework not being completed,” a warrant claims.

A search of his cellphone reportedly revealed web searches related to valuating an estate and transferring bank account funds following a death.

As reported by Fox News, Detective T. Huelsman asserted in a warrant that the “searches and websites explain a possible motive for Alexander Bishop to kill his dad.”

[Featured image: Bill Bishop, handout]