A Los Angeles father who killed his adult son for being gay has been charged with premeditated murder.

Shehada Khalil Issa was arrested last week following the discovery of 29-year-old son Amir’s body in the back garden of his home. Issa’s wife was found stabbed to death in the residence.

According to media reports, Issa told police that he didn’t kill his wife but instead found her in their home’s bathroom, where she was already dead. Issa claims he armed himself after finding her body and then encountered his son, who threatened him with a knife, leading to a shooting.

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office have stated that they believe Amir’s murder was as a result of his sexual orientation, but have offered not substantive information to support this contention.

“The murder was committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation and because of the defendant’s perception of that status, and the victims’ association with a person and a group of that status,” prosecutors said in a statement.

Police had visited the resident in past about a family “dispute” in which Shehada Khalil Issa and his wife were attempting to sell their house and evict their son. A neighbour told the LA Times that Issa had complained that his son had substance abuse problems.

Policy director for LA’s LGBT Centre, Dave Garcia, cited the passing of recent anti-gay legislation in other states as a cause of problems for the entire LGBT community.

Issa is being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at LA County Superior Court on April 11.