Man charged with throwing hot grease on his own mother

A man who allegedly threw scalding grease on his mother leaving her with near-fatal burns as she lay on her sofa was bound to the grand jury on aggravated assault charges.

The suspect, Amon (Chip) McCormick, 37, was bound to the grand jury by General Sessions Judge Larry Ross following a preliminary hearing last week. He remains held under bond at Warren County Jail after the judge refused to lower the amount, pointing to the fact the suspect has been on the run since the incident occurred a year ago.

McCormick has been in local custody since he was extradited from Florida in March after U.S. Marshals found him hiding out there. McCormick has been wanted on the felony charge since last April and was the subject of a nationwide manhunt.

McCormick stands charged with burning his mother, Dorothy McCormick, to the extent she had to have skin grafts and surgeries at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She remains under care at a local convalescent facility.

During Tuesday’s hearing, sheriff’s investigator Bo Ramsey said the woman suffered severe burns to her chest, neck and face as the result of being scalded. While lawmen have not revealed what the victim has told them about the incident, Ramsey testified an investigation of the crime scene produced a theory of what he believes happened.

‘It appeared she was lying on the couch and someone threw grease on her,’ Ramsey said, pointing to burns on the couch and carpet which family members said were not there earlier. Ramsey said family members also said a full bottle of cooking oil had been used.

A neighbor testified about an apparent lie told to him by the suspect shortly after his mother was burned.

‘He was wanting someone to carry him and his mother to the hospital,’ recalled Donald Boyd of a conversation with the suspect the day in question. ‘He told me his mother was having a reaction to some medication she was on.’

Boyd would add that he saw McCormick carrying out rolled up carpet and garbage bags later that day and taking them away.

Ramsey did not reveal what motive McCormick may have had in harming his mother, or if she is going to assist in the prosecution of her son.