A Father in North Dakota Worried His Son Would Kill Him. His Worst Fears Came True.

A man told others that he was afraid his son would kill him. Weeks later, the father's worst fear was realized and he was murdered.

Now, the killer will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

Christopher Vickerman was sentenced to 100 years in a North Dakota prison for killing his father Mark in 2019, according to KX News. Twenty years of the sentence was suspended, and Christopher Vickerman will have to serve nearly 70 years before becoming parole eligible.

That means Christopher Vickerman would be at least 90 years old before he is released.

He also cannot speak to his mother unless she initiates the communication, KX News reported.

On May 10, 2019, Mark Vickerman was found shot to death at his home. Christopher Vickerman was convicted in 2021 of Class AA felony murder, according to the Minot Daily News.

The two had a difficult relationship, often arguing over business money and custody of Christopher’s children, according to the Daily News. Mark Vickerman told his friends that his son was mentally ill and not medicated. He was also afraid his son would kill him.

Mark Vickerman said Christopher Vickerman had an irrational hatred of his father and believed his dad was out to get him.

Prosecutors said Christopher Vickerman planned the murder for months, according to the Daily News.

Defense attorneys noted Christopher Vickerman was schizophrenic and received medication once he was in jail, according to the Daily News. The killer asked for the minimum four-year sentence and said he didn’t think it was fair to spend his life behind bars for something he didn’t have control over.

His mother, Anastasia Vickerman, spoke at the sentencing hearing and said she will always love her son but that he caused tremendous damage.

“Your dad loved you,” Anastasia Vickerman said, according to the Daily News. “He would have done anything for you. He wanted things to be better between the two of you.”