Henry 'Hank' Laird Arrested: Teen Allegedly Murdered Mother With Butt Of Shotgun, Oklahoma Police Say

Teen Allegedly Beat Mother To Death WIth Shotgun

Following a brief manhunt, authorities in Oklahoma arrested a 17-year-old boy accused of beating his mother to death with the butt of a shotgun.

Henry 'Hank' Laird was reportedly "laughing and smiling" when he surrendered to police Wednesday afternoon in south Tulsa, according to KRMG.

Police said it took 20 minutes to persuade Laird to give himself up, News On 6 reports.

"We are just thankful we have [Laird] in custody," Officer Jill Roberson told Tulsa World. "There has already been one tragedy out of this. We definitely did not want another one."

Henry Laird's mother, Linda Laird, 56, was found dead Tuesday morning. The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office determined that she suffered "blunt force trauma to the head and neck" and ruled the death a homicide, CBS reports.

Police discovered the victim's body at the bottom of a staircase in her home.

Prior to locating Laird, police arrested 19 year old Josiah Israel Sklar at a motel. Sklar, Laird's alleged accomplice, told police he was present Monday night when the suspect allegedly bludgeoned his mother to death with the thick end of a shotgun.

Sklar said that he did not report the incident because he was afraid of Laird and not prepared to testify against him. Instead, he said he gave the victim -- who was still alive at the time -- a pillow and went back to sleep.

Arrest reports say Laird struck his mother at least 20 times using the weapon, FOX 23 reports.

Laird is charged with first-degree murder.

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