Neighbor speaks out about disturbing conversations with slain commissioner's son

MIAMI (WSVN) -- The neighbor of the slain South Florida commissioner spoke out about some troubling conversations she had with his son before the tragic shooting.

"He wanted to do it," said Janelle Syren. Syren said Jason told her, "'I wish he weren't around,' that 'There was something I could do,'" she said. "He has told me things that are very disturbing."

Commissioner Jay Beckman, 53, was found shot to death in his home on Southwest 65th Street and 65th Avenue. According to the arrest warrant, his 17-year-old son Jason Beckman claimed he accidentally killed his father after he assembled a shotgun and then showed it to his father. That's when, he told police, the shotgun went off.

Syren said Beckman had talked to her about the problems between him and his father. "He would talk to me about what he wanted. It wasn't just to me, he was a little open about him and his dad not getting along," she said.

Beckman was scheduled to appear in court Monday morning, but his lawyer waived his right to appear. Beckman's lawyer also asked a judge to release him to family members, but the request was denied.

Beckman's fellow public officials said they were shocked by the news of their colleague's death over the Easter weekend. "Commissioner Beckman will be missed. This is a loss to our city. Commissioner Beckman was always making sure that the city was transparent, and he was a diligent public servant," said City of South Miami Mayor Horace Feliu.

Syren said she now regrets she didn't say anything about her conversations with Jason earlier. "Maybe he didn't get professional help that Jason needed, as he should have done, but he didn't abuse Jason, he did the best he could. He was a good guy, he was a good father," she said. 

Syren as well as neighbors and classmates at South Miami Senior High School said they have been aware of Jason's alleged death wish for sometime. Miami-Dade Homicide Detectives said they are aware of that and are exploring the angle.

Jason remains behind bars charged with manslaughter.

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