Mother speaks out after father charged with killing his son on Christmas Eve

HIGH RIDGE, Mo. (KTVI) — A Christmas Eve hangout turned deadly when a High Ridge, Missouri, father allegedly pulled a gun on his son and his son’s pregnant fiancée.

Kathy Ward has been forced to face the reality no mother should have to go through: her son's father is now facing charges in the death of his own son.

According to investigators, 61-year-old Harold E. Luster fatally shot his son, Kevin Ward, Tuesday evening.

Kathy spoke to Nexstar's KTVI about the incident, saying, “He took an innocent boy’s life. A 26-year-old that was going to be a father. He took his life over something selfish.”

According to charging documents, Luster had argued with another family member earlier in the day and was worked up. Investigators explained Luster believed Ward’s mother was cheating on him and accused Ward’s fiancée of helping cover it up. Ward’s mom told police Luster called her before the shooting, threatening to kill Kevin's fiancée.

The shooting allegedly happened after Luster gave Kevin a chilling choice: take the bullet himself or let his pregnant fiancée be the target, Kathy said.

”If I could have (Kevin) here now and I could get one last talk to him, I’d tell him thank you. He saved that baby that night. He was so happy to be a first-time father, but he’ll never get that chance,” Kathy told KTVI.

Luster is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of his son. He is currently jailed in Jefferson County without bond.

Kathy added that she is channeling her grief into being a voice for her son.

“I’m fighting, fighting, fighting every single day. I will be at every hearing to make sure justice is served," she said. "He’s going to be forever in our hearts; we will never forget he died a hero that night. His innocent life was taken for no reason at all; it’s unjustifiable.”

A GoFundMe has been started for Kevin’s surviving fiancée and their expected child.