Mental evaluation ordered

A physiological evaluation has been ordered for a 17-year-old boy accused of killing his father.

Lawrence County Sheriff Chief Deputy Terry Beecham said General Sessions Judge Patricia McGuire issued the evaluation order during an arraignment Monday afternoon. He said the teenager was sent to a facility in Chattanooga for 21 days for evaluation after the court proceeding.

The boy, who was identified by family friends as Tommy Schankweiler, has been charged with first-degree murder.

Beecham said that after the evaluation, there will be a hearing to determine whether Schankweiler will be tired as an adult or a juvenile, and a bond amount will be established.

Authorities said Schankweiler is accused of shooting 37-year-old Thomas James Schankweiler Jr. once in the head with a .22-caliber rifle Friday night.

Lawrence County Sheriff Kenny Taylor said the shooting reportedly happened at the family's residence at 165 Piney Road, which is in the Piney community west of Lawrenceburg off U.S. 64.

Authorities said the shooting was the result of an ongoing domestic situation between the teen and his father.

Taylor said statements taken from people involved stated that there had been an ongoing altercation all day between the victim and the boy.

Investigators said Thomas Schankweiler had been drinking whiskey and became angry while he and his son were working on some additions to their house in the basement.

Reports indicate Thomas Schankweiler physically assaulted his son and then threatened his life. His wife, according to investigators, got the boy to go to a neighbor's house while she tried to calm her husband down and defuse the situation. Investigators said Sandee Schankweiler said that after a while, her husband finally laid down and went to sleep.

Taylor said that apparently the boy returned to the house later in the evening because he was worried about his mother and two younger siblings.

Authorities said that after going into the house, Sandee Schankweiler confronted her son as he was leaving and he told her "he can't hurt anyone anymore."

Investigators said she called a neighbor to come and pick up her and the children at which time they went to the neighbor's residence and called 911.

Beecham said when deputies arrived, they discovered Thomas Schankweiler had been shot in the left temple with a .22-caliber rifle while he was asleep.

Tommy Schankweiler, a junior at Lawrence County High School, is being held in the juvenile detention center at Columbia, Tenn.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.