Whitecourt residents are in shock after a 19-year-old male has been charged with the second-degree murder of his father.

Tyler John Greschuk was charged with second-degree murder and offering an indignity to a body after his 46-year-old father, Ronald Greschuk was found dead by family members at his home Friday afternoon.

Jason Howey had just heard that police were looking for the 19-year-old when he spotted Tyler at a park near his home Friday.

Howey said Tyler collapsed in front of him and started crying.

Tyler's ex-girlfriend told CTV News she confronted Tyler with her father to convince him to go talk to the police.

"He was crying and he seemed genuinely shocked and all that," said Ashlyn Miklushichak. "He didn't know anything and that was half the reason why me and my dad tried to get him to go up there."

Miklushichak and her father eventually escorted Tyler to the police station where he was later charged.

"The evidence we gathered at this moment certainly supports the charges that were laid," said Cpl. Darren Anderson, Acting K Divsion RCMP spokesman.

One woman who asked not to be identified, said she gave Tyler a place to stay for a month, but kicked him out after she says she saw him doing drugs in her home. She says Tyler and his father had a troubled relationship and often got into yelling matches over the phone.

"He just needs help with drugs, that's it, other than that he is a normal 19-year-old," the woman said.

Howey said he can't speculate what happened that night, but does hope that Tyler gets the help he needs.

"He seemed like a decent kid, he just had a lot of problems. He didn't really have a whole lot of people to support him," he said.

Ronald Greschuk's cause of death will be determined by an autopsy scheduled Tuesday. Tyler is set to appear in court next Tuesday.

With files from Sonia Sunger