LATHROP, Mo. — New details have come out in the case of a 29-year-old Lathrop, Missouri, man accused of holding a woman against her will and torturing her for over two days.
James Larson Jr. was charged Monday with domestic assault, kidnapping, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm in Clinton County.
Now his father has also stepped forward, saying his son threated to kill him when he tried to intervene.
James Larson Sr. said his son re-entered his life after time behind bars in Oklahoma. The elder Larson said he hoped his son would be a changed man. But instead, over this weekend, his son became a monster.
Larson Sr. said he returned home Saturday night to find his house on Lake Arrowhead destroyed.
“I’ve been cleaning up a lot of mirrors and glass,” Larson Sr. said.
He also spotted a woman who was injured.
“She was in the fetal position on the floor. I could see she was sweating,” Larson Sr. said.
“He grabbed his shotgun that I had hidden. I didn’t know he knew where it was. Cocked it and that’s when I realized what he had in his hand. He went into the kitchen and threatened to shoot her then shoot himself,” Larson Sr. said.
He decided not to call police, saying he feared for the woman’s life.
“I thought it may have been the best decision. It may not have been the best decision. I was able to get in the house numerous times to check on her, hoping to get my chance to get her out of the house,” Larson Sr. said.
Eventually she escaped Saturday, presumably when Larson Jr. passed out. She ran to a neighbors to call 911, Larson Sr. said.
Clinton County authorities responded with tactical vehicles, ending with a Saturday morning standoff where Larson Jr. was taken into custody.
“Since this subject’s release from prison two weeks ago, three weeks ago, we kind of expected something would happen because the subject is not a stranger to law enforcement,” Clinton County Sheriff Larry Fish said.
“Well he’s a career criminal. He’s a violent career criminal. Numerous assault first-degrees, other assaults and assaults and battery against law enforcement,” Fish said.
Larson Sr. said his relationship with his son is over. He also said he met the injured woman once before but didn’t know her name.
“All I know is I was just trying to save her life, and after she got out, I guess she went to the hospital. She went from being OK to critical condition,” Larson Sr. said.
“I was devastated. I never cried so much in my life. I’m a man. I don’t. I’m not supposed to. But I did,” Larson Sr. said.
No bond has been set at this time for Larson Jr.