A Tucson mother spent the night caring for her battered husband after their son allegedly attacked both of them without provocation — checking on him throughout the evening, changing his clothes, and tucking him into bed — only to discover the 73-year-old dead the next morning, authorities said.
Background
Tyler Lachmann, 39, is accused of unleashing a violent assault on his parents at their home in the Tucson area on June 28. According to prosecutors, the attack came without warning or any apparent provocation.
The criminal complaint alleges Lachmann was "repeatedly punching" his mother and "slamming her head on the concrete" before turning his attention to his father in the kitchen. Both victims sustained significant injuries to their face, head, and arms.
After the assault subsided, the mother helped her husband to their bedroom, removed his shirt, and changed him into sweatpants for comfort. She checked on him throughout the night before eventually going to sleep herself.
The Investigation
When morning came, the mother discovered her husband had stopped breathing. "He was cold to the touch," according to the criminal complaint.
Authorities responded to a 911 call, and paramedics declared the father dead at the scene. Pima County sheriff's deputies arrived to find both parents with extensive injuries consistent with an assault.
Detectives say Lachmann's mother initially reported the attack as a robbery by "two masked men" — a story she later admitted was fabricated to protect her son during police interviews.
The investigation revealed that Lachmann was on pretrial release for a separate felony case at the time of the alleged attack. He is also accused of pointing a gun at his girlfriend's mother on April 29 and threatening to kill her, court records show.
The Charges
Lachmann has been charged with first-degree murder and vulnerable adult abuse. He is being held without bond and is scheduled for a bond hearing on July 6 and a preliminary hearing on July 10 in Pima County Superior Court.
The mother told prosecutors her son has mental health problems, though that information has not yet been presented as a defense in court filings.
Key Takeaways
- Tyler Lachmann allegedly attacked both his parents without provocation on June 28 at their Tucson home
- The mother cared for her injured husband throughout the night before discovering him dead the next morning
- She initially lied to police about masked men to protect her son, later admitting the deception
- Lachmann was on pretrial release for a separate felony case during the alleged attack
- He also faces allegations of threatening his girlfriend's mother with a gun in April
What's Next
Lachmann remains jailed without bond pending his July 6 bond hearing and July 10 preliminary hearing. Prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will seek the death penalty or pursue life imprisonment if convicted. The Pima County Medical Examiner's Office has not publicly released the cause of death, though prosecutors have filed murder charges.