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PORT NECHES — A review by police of medical records in the death of a retired sheriff’s deputy showed he died from blunt force trauma to the head; the death was ruled a homicide.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Major Roy Birdsong was 69 at the time of his death and days away from his 70th birthday. Birdsong was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, and his son, Logan Kyle Birdsong, 25, was his caregiver at their Port Neches home.

The JCSO Fugitive Warrant Division took Logan Birdsong into custody at approximately 5 p.m. Thursday at his residence in Port Neches in connection with the death of his father, JSCO Captain Crystal Holmes said.

Case history

A Port Neches Police Department officer was sent at approximately 4:14 p.m. Dec. 7 to the Medical Center of Southeast Texas in reference to a domestic disturbance, according to a probable cause affidavit for Logan Birdsong’s arrest.

The disturbance reportedly occurred at a home in the 600 block of Mildred Manor, Port Neches. The officer was advised the victim, Roy Birdsong, had been assaulted by his son, Logan Birdsong.

Police spoke with Logan Birdsong, who said he is his father’s caregiver and became frustrated with him. He also told police his father has Parkinson’s and has trouble moving around.

The morning of the altercation, the two men were reportedly arguing and while his father was sitting on the toilet the argument escalated. The son allegedly said he lifted his hand to strike his father and his father put his hand up in defense. He moved his father’s hand out of the way, striking his father on the right side of the head with an open palm approximately three times.

“Birdsong stated he had struck him ‘pretty hard,’” according to the document.

The son said he struck his father in the past out of frustration of dealing with his disease. He was asked if it was possible his father had fallen and hit his head, to which he stated he had not.

The officer was unable to speak with the victim due to him being unresponsive.

Police then learned the extent of the injuries, which included a subdural hematoma with a brain shift to the left, which necessitated life flight to a hospital in Houston.

On Dec. 19, police were notified the victim died while in hospice care.

Investigators attempted to get a statement from the son, who reportedly told law enforcement he had obtained a lawyer.

Logan Birdsong was indicted this week in connection with the death of his father.

Bond for Logan Birdsong is set at $30,000 on a charge of murder.

Port Neches Police Chief Cheri Griffith said Roy Birdsong and his wife lived at the Port Neches home with their son, Logan Birdsong.

Griffith is unaware of any previous domestic disturbance calls to the home.

Chief Griffith spoke of the officers who worked the case, saying they were called to The Medical Center of Southeast Texas for a domestic assault patient who, to her knowledge, never regained consciousness and died less than two weeks later.

After the case was investigated, investigators filed the case with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, which led to the other party in the assault being indicted.

“As always they worked through this very thoroughly and timely,” Griffith said. “It’s unfortunate all the way around. Our sympathies go to the family.”

Well respected

Capt. Crystal Holmes said Major Roy Birdsong was very well known and well respected, not just in the community, but in working with other agencies, as well.

“Everyone always had good things to say about Roy Birdsong. The way he held himself, the way he investigated and the way he treated people. He was a model for what a police officer should be,” Holmes said.

Birdsong, a Beaumont native, had a brief employment with the Kountze Police Department before moving onto a 40-year career with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, according to his obituary.

He rose to the rank of lieutenant and then major and worked with the Jefferson County Narcotic’s Task Force, a joint task force comprised on local, state, and Federal agencies (Jefferson, Hardin, Chambers, Orange County; Port Neches PD, Nederland PD, Port Arthur PD, Beaumont PD, Texas Department Public Safety, DEA and FBI, Customs).

He also served as commander of Special Weapons & Tactics (SWAT) team for more than 20 years during which he earned his private pilot license and sometimes acted as copilot with the department’s aviation unit for both fixed wing and helicopter, his obituary read.

He ended his career as Water Safety Officer with the Marine Safety Patrol. He also held a U.S. Coast Guard 50 ton master captain’s license.