Portage grand jury adds murder charge for Garrettsville man accused of attacking parents

A Garrettsville man who allegedly attacked his parents with a hatchet 18 months ago is now facing murder charges following the December death of his father.

Christopher M. Harris , 46, was arraigned last week in Portage County Common Pleas Court on an amended grand jury indictment. The indictment moved a first-degree attempted murder charge to a felony murder count. Both charges specified the victim was Michael Harris.

The indictment also added a second felony murder charge, also with Michael Harris as victim, specifying Harris was killed while the suspect allegedly was committing felony assault.

Other charges in the original indictment still stand, including the attempted murder of Marla Harris and two counts of second-degree felony assault.

Christopher Harris' attorney did not return a phone call seeking comment. Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci said previously that his office was waiting for the results of an autopsy by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office to determine whether 67-year-old Michael Harris' death on Dec. 8 was connected to the attack.

According to a supplementary medical certification attached to the autopsy report, Portage County Coroner Dr. Dean DePerro ruled that as a result of the autopsy's findings, the cause of death is "failure to thrive in the setting of remote impact injuries of the head and Alzheimer's dementia" and the manner of death is "homicide."

Garrettsville Police said that after a woman reported she had been attacked with an axe in the afternoon of Oct. 28, 2022, they responded to the High Street home where Christopher Harris lived with his parents.

Police received no response at the home, and Portage County SWAT forced entry into the home. Christopher Harris was found sitting in a chair holding a knife, police said.

Michael Otis Harris and his wife, Marla B. Harris, were taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Both were listed in stable condition the following week.

According to the indictment, the weapon used in the assault was a hatchet.

Christopher Harris has been held in Portage County Jail on a $2 million bond. He is currently scheduled for a June 4 jury trial.

Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage grand jury adds murder charge for Garrettsville man accused of attacking parents