WINNIPEG (CBC) - Police in Rochester, Minn., are investigating the death of a Winnipeg man in a case they describe as "violent" and "definitely a homicide."

A housekeeper at a Holiday Inn Express in Rochester found the body of James Francis Clancy, 69, in one of the hotel's rooms Friday morning.

The victim's son, Sean Francis Clancy, 40, has been charged with second-degree murder.

Rochester police Deputy Chief Steven Johnson described it as "a violent scene, and definitely a homicide."

According to court documents, Clancy confessed to the crime twice, first in a phone call to his wife, and again to a nurse at a nearby medical clinic.

"Clancy told [the nurse] they had been out drinking and got into an argument when they got back to the hotel," the documents say.

"Clancy said his dad threw a towel at him, and Clancy in turn grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his neck and squeezed."

The Clancy family has declined to comment.

"This is a fairly rare event for this city. We don't have too many homicides here - one or two a year, or sometimes we go several years without any," Johnson said of Rochester, a city of 100,000 located about 80 kilometres southeast of Minneapolis.

Sean Clancy, a resident of Tennessee, remains in a Rochester jail until his next court appearance.

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