Virginia Teen With Violent History Allegedly Beats 'Scared' Grandmother To Death

An 18-year-old teen in Virginia with a violent history allegedly brutally beat his grandmother to death before calling the police and reporting he had found her lying unconscious on the floor.

The accused, identified as David Rowe, had been temporarily living in a trailer next to his grandmother's, Dianna Swaner, home in Frederick County. On Saturday, he went inside her residence to get a can of beans and ended up killing her when she stopped him.

"Rowe stated he then punched Swaner in the head with his left hand, then grabbed Swaner from her chair and rammed her head into the television. Rowe stated he then escorted Swaner's head rapidly into the corner of a fireplace where Rowe then struck Swaner in the head with a glass-jarred candle," Brandon J. Hazelwood, a Frederick County Sheriff's Office investigator, wrote in a criminal complaint, The Winchester Star reported.

The accused then called 911 and said he had found his 63-year-old grandmother lying on the floor and that she appeared to be deceased. Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division responded to the residence and pronounced her dead. Investigation revealed the woman had been murdered. Following this, Rowe was taken into custody and charged with second degree murder after he confessed to the crime, Royal Examiner reported.

Investigation also revealed the accused had a violent history. In April, Rowe had beaten his grandmother and a passerby who had come to her aid. The accused was taken into custody and charged with assault and battery and assault and battery of a family member. The grandmother had a 72-hour temporary protection order placed against Rowe following his arrest, but she didn't renew it.

The victim’s boyfriend John Daniels told The Winchester Star that she was scared of her grandson.

"If he had a confrontation with somebody or he didn’t know how to deal with an emotional issue, he just wanted to fight. She was scared of him," Daniels told the outlet Monday.

Michael Swaner, who is Rowe's uncle, also said he was short-tempered and the victim remained afraid of him.

"He was always short-tempered. But she always tried to help him out the best she could," Michael told the outlet.

The accused remained in custody as of Monday, and details regarding his bail plea were not available.