Adoptive Son on Trial After Mom and Dad Massacred, Bodies Found 'Head-to-Head' in Bloodied Home By Samira Asma-Sadeque

A Florida man is on trial for murder more than two years after his adoptive parents were found slain in a bloodied scene at their home in 2023.

Robbie James Tower, 49, and his wife Jennifer Christine Tower, 51, were found dead by officers responding to their North Port, Fla. home just before midnight on Aug. 31, 2023, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

Their son, 24-year-old Dima Jones Tower, is now standing trial for murder in connection to the brutal killings.

North Port police responded to the Towers’ home after a neighbor called 911 saying a woman came to her door frantically screaming “I need help,” per the probable cause affidavit. The neighbor said she did not see the woman when she opened the door and came upon a large amount of blood on the steps.

Officers arrived and saw a man, later identified as Dima, with blood on him in front of the Towers’ residence, according to the affidavit. He fled the scene leading to a police chase, and was later arrested.

Inside the Towers’ residence, investigators found the couple in their living room, lying “head-to-head” and face down in a bloodied scene, per the affidavit.

Robbie had a puncture wound on his back and Jennifer was drenched in blood.

Investigators described in the affidavit a violent scene at the residence, alleging there was a large amount of blood covering the living room couches, the couple’s bed, the kitchen, a rag in the kitchen and the inside of the front door.

The couple adopted Dima from Ukraine in 2016 when he was 14, ABC 7 reported.

Their Facebook profiles show happy family photos. Jennifer’s Facebook display picture shows a “Pray for Ukraine” poster uploaded in March 2022, soon after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Court information reveals Dima had been accused of assault on a previous occasion.

He was arrested in 2020 on charges including domestic violence after he allegedly threw the victim across the kitchen as he was putting groceries in the fridge, according to an earlier affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. The alleged attack left the victim with a bleeding forehead and lacerations to the back.

The charges were later declined by a judge, court records show.

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Robbie and Jennifer left behind a legacy of kindness and devotion to their community, according to online obituaries posted soon after their killings.

Jennifer loved bird watching, per her obituary; Robbie is remembered for his sense of humor, among other things.

A motive behind the killings was not immediately clear. Dima has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In court, his defense team plans to ask the jury to find him guilty of manslaughter — a lesser offense, the Herald-Tribune reported.