MORGANTOWN — A Butler County man has been formally charged with murder in connection with the death of his son by gunshot.

Carl E. Martin, 81, of Rochester, was indicted Nov. 21 by a grand jury in Butler County on charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence.

Martin is accused of fatally shooting Jason Martin, 49, of Morgantown, on Oct. 24, and of knowingly tampering with evidence he believed would be used in a police proceeding against him.

The Morgantown Police Department arrested Carl Martin soon after the shooting is said to have happened.

According to an affidavit sworn by Morgantown Police Department Sgt. Rodney McMillin to obtain a search warrant, Martin had taken his son to Smith Funeral Home with apparent gunshot wounds, leading police to interview Martin.

McMillin said that Martin “gave conflicting accounts” regarding the events of the morning of Oct. 24.

Martin reportedly said that he and his son had been to McDonald’s in Morgantown on that morning, which police confirmed through reviewing surveillance video footage, and Martin also acknowledged bringing Jason Martin to the funeral home.

Police also received on that date an audio recording provided to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office by Jeremy Carroll, a friend of Jason Martin, that purports to be of Martin speaking to his father, court records show.

“Jason Martin indicated that he has been shot by the other person being heard in the recording who he calls his ‘dad’ who can be heard stating ‘I’m going to kill you’ and ‘you going to die, ain’t you,’ ” McMillin stated in the affidavit.

McMillin went on to note that he spoke with Carroll, who reportedly informed police that the recording was left on his phone as a voicemail from Jason Martin on Oct. 24.

Carl Martin is due to appear in Butler Circuit Court on Tuesday for arraignment, and he is being held in Butler County Jail under a $250,000 cash bond.