LARGO, FL – A man has been charged with the murder of his parents in Largo, Florida, before continuing a dangerous path across state lines, authorities said.

Nicholas Steven Kirchner, 37, is facing two counts of first-degree murder following the discovery of the bodies of his parents, Elizabeth Lee Kirchner, 53, and Steven Eric Kirchner, 64, in their Largo home. An investigation commenced when law enforcement officers conducted a welfare check around 12:30 p.m. on Friday after Elizabeth Kirchner failed to report to her workplace. Inside the residence on Saunders Avenue, deputies found the couple dead in the living room, both victims of gunshot wounds.

As word of the crime developed, law enforcement agencies were alerted to his potential flight and continued danger. Just a few hours after the gruesome discovery in Florida, 460 miles away in Georgia, authorities were notified of a troubling scene on a highway. A motorist called 911 to report a man behaving erratically on the roadside, clad in white with a red baseball cap. The man was later identified as Nicholas Kirchner.

Upon interception by Georgia deputies, Kirchner claimed to be armed. Further investigation revealed that he was not only wanted for the Florida murders but had been involved in a separate confrontation in Sumter, South Carolina. There, Kirchner allegedly threatened an individual, declaring, “I’ve already killed two people — I’ll kill some more.”

In the South Carolina incident, Kirchner reportedly pointed a firearm at multiple people, demanding one of them enter a residence to obtain an item while threatening violence if his orders were unmet.

After his apprehension in Georgia, Kirchner reportedly confessed to killing his parents multiple times. He described the killings as a “righteous kill,” and disclosed to deputies that he had abandoned a stolen vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder, near his arrest location.

Kirchner was detained and is currently held at the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office jail in Georgia as arrangements for his extradition back to Florida are underway.

Officials have not yet released a probable cause affidavit, which might contain further insight into possible motives or the timeline of the slayings, leaving questions about Kirchner’s motives in the murders of his parents unanswered at this time.