A 22-year-old man is accused of stabbing his mother to death Wednesday night in Palm Coast, deputies said.

  • Nathaniel Shimmel charged with 1st-degree murder
  • Accused of stabbing mother, Michele
  • Third domestic homicide in Flagler County this year

Nathaniel Ryder Shimmel was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He's being held at the Flagler County Detention Facility without bond.

The investigation began at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at a home at 47 Woodhollow Lane in Palm Coast after deputies received a 911 call to report a stabbing.

Emergency crews arrived at the scene and pronounced Michele Shimmel dead at the scene. 

"I think I hurt my — I think they hurt my mom," Shimmel said to a 911 dispatcher.

Deputies said Shimmel tried to make the killing look like his father committed the crime.

"Do you know who could've done this? Does she have any enemies? Does she have any enemies that you're aware of?" the dispatcher asked.

"My dad," Shimmel answered.

Shimmel told the dispatcher he saw a man in a ski mask stab his mother. Shimmel then said "he got away" and went to a friend's house nearby.

Deputies, however, said Shimmel got into an argument with his mother. She grabbed him and then he stabbed her with a large kitchen knife.

Investigators said the woman tried to escape and was stabbed one last time in the front yard.

During the 911 call, Shimmel asked the dispatcher several times if his mother was OK.

Deputies said when they got to the scene, the knife was still in her back and they couldn't revive her.

He recanted that story and admitted he stabbed his mother numerous times, deputies said.

"I can tell you that this was a brutal, very violent and very angry murder," Sheriff Rick Staly said.

Carol Cupp said she has known the family for years.

"She told me all he did was stay in his room and play on the computer since he got out of high school. He was very quiet, he wasn't very sociable at all. Never heard them argue, never knew them to be physical," Cupp said.

Cupp said her family was devastated about the news.

"I just saw her a couple weeks ago," Cupp said. "She was just taking the trash cans out, and she asked 'How you doing, you're hanging in here?" Cupp said.

The sheriff said Shimmel told deputies, "There's no God that would ever forgive him for what he has done."

According to Staly, this is the third domestic-related homicide in the county this year.