Elderly man uses wheelchair as  murder weapon

~~Adz:Right~~ SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico-AN 86-year-old nursing home patient is being held in custody by Puerto Rican Police after killing a fellow resident with his wheelchair early on September 24.

According to preliminary reports, Euricles Rivera Cales caused severe injury to 79-year-old Gustavo Velez Merced by hitting him in the face with his wheelchair’s footrest while the latter man slept in his bed. 

Both men were residents of the My Family adult care facility, located in the southwestern village of Yauco.

Merced was rushed to the hospital after staff had discovered the attack had taken place, but he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

Police said they had not charged Cales at this time, but criminal investigations into the incident had begun.

Cales’ mental health is likely to become a factor in the case, as he suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s is the world’s most common form of dementia and generally effects persons over the age of sixty-five.

Some of the disease’s symptoms include aggression, confusion, mood swings and memory loss, which typically worsen in patients as the disease progresses and without proper treatment.