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New details emerge in case of man accused of killing, burying father

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Discovery evidence was released in the case of a Lake County man who is accused of killing his father with a sledgehammer and burying the victim's body.

The victim, 63-year-old Jesse Wachter, was found buried in the backyard of his Leesburg home in January, according to investigators. Neighbors said they got suspicious after they saw Wachter's son, Jesse Jordan, and his girlfriend loading his father's belongings onto a trailer.

Since then, Jordan has been arrested and charged with first-degree premeditated murder. More details about the case emerged when hundreds of new discovery documents and video were released Monday.

Part of the evidence is a written statement from the victim's wife that said she warned Wachter not to allow his son to live with him. She told investigators that Jordan was addicted to drugs and had made threats to kill his father in the past, according to the documents.

Also released was an interrogation video where detectives pressed Jordan about his father's disappearance for 90 minutes on January 12.

"You didn't kill him?" Detective Clay Watkins asked. "You didn't bury him in your backyard?"

"No sir," Jordan said. "It's been at least two weeks since I've heard from him.”

Wachter had last been seen in November and concerned neighbors in his community called authorities when they spotted his belongings being loaded up.

"It looks really bad," Watkins told Jordan.

Jordan and his girlfriend were both interrogated and investigators said his story about Wachter's whereabouts didn't add up. According to officials, the victim was buried 10 inches below the ground and had been bludgeoned to death with a sledgehammer.

"People are going to think you're a cold-hearted murderer who murdered his dad and buried him in the backyard," Watkins said.

Jordan pleaded not guilty to the charge and is being held at the Lake County Jail on no bond. Prosecutors would not reveal a possible motive for the crime.