SALEM, Ore. -- A Salem woman who wanted to get her children out of state custody was pressuring her boyfriend to get money from his parents when he snapped and murdered them on their Dallas farm Tuesday, according to investigators.
The 20-year-old Salem man, Andrew Jondle, and his 46-year-old girlfriend Cindy Lou Beck were arrested Tuesday. Polk County deputies found 61-year-old David Scott Jondle and his 58-year-old wife Marilyn Ruth Jondle dead at their home on Gilliam Road in what the sheriff called a "gruesome" scene.
The family ran the Abundant Life Farm near Dallas.
Video: Scott and Marilyn Jondle describe their new farm life
Detectives said some time between 11 p.m. Monday night and 2 a.m. Tuesday, Jondle had gone to the home to rob them, in order to pay back rent.
An autopsy Wednesday showed David Jondle died from stab wounds inflicted by a scythe. Marilyn had been beaten to death with a metal pipe.
"We have been able to establish that both Andrew Jondle, son of the victims, along with his girlfriend, Cindy Lou Beck, conspired the plan to kill the victims in order to get money," Wolfe said.
The suspect returned home to Salem after taking credit cards and jewelry later found there, detectives said.
A metal pipe suspected to have been the murder weapon was also recovered at the scene, deputies said.
Police from several area agencies and Oregon State troopers went to the apartment of the Jondle's son on Royvonne Avenue in Salem around 11:30 a.m.
Andrew Jondle was charged with two counts of aggravated murder and Beck, for hindering prosecution. He was held without bail as detectives continued to investigate.
Investigators think Andrew acted alone, but Beck was likely to still face additional charges, Wolfe said.
Polk County Sheriff Bob Wolfe said that Beck told police she found Andrew Jondle with blood on his clothes and helped him dispose of them.
Wolfe said Beck and Andrew Jondle were in a relationship and his parents didn't approve, causing tension in the family.
Beck previously had children taken by Oregon Department of Human Services and needed money to get them back, investigators said. The Jondles had also recently taken a car away from their son.
According to a website of the family's business, David worked as a software engineer with aerospace companies for several years while Marilyn homeschooled their three sons.
The family decided to start their own farm in 2000.
KGW Reporter Katherine Cook and Michael Rollins contributed to this report.
