Abducted boy found safe in Carmel

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) - There is now an update to this story: Jeff Bedinger has been captured in Ohio. Click here to read the most recent story.

The 7-year-old subject of Thursday night’s Amber Alert was found safe just hours after his father was alleged to have shot and killed his 22-year-old step son.

The boy is now safely back in Ohio but authorities there are still leading the search for his 51-year-old father, Jeff Bedinger.

Ohio police say Bedinger left the scene of the homicide in Troy, Ohio (about 50 miles east of Richmond, Ind.) with his 7-year-old son, Zane Bedinger.

Authorities considered Zane Bedinger to be abducted and issued an Amber Alert in Ohio around 5:50 p.m. They believed Jeff Bedinger and the child traveled to the Carmel or Hamilton County area, prompting Indiana authorities to issue an Amber Alert at 8:10 p.m.

24-Hour News 8 has learned that Zane Bedinger dropped off at a family member’s house in Carmel, Ind. around 6 p.m. and that family member did not call Carmel Police until 9:45 p.m. Records in Troy show Carmel Police called Troy Police around 10:19 p.m. to alert Ohio authorities that the boy had been found safe.

The Amber Alert was cancelled at 10:37 p.m.

The ordeal began around 4 p.m. in Troy, Ohio where Jeff Bedinger allegedly shot and killed his 22-year-old stepson, Brandon Haskins. Police say Bedinger’s ex-wife walked into her apartment and discovered the man dead. She then realized Bedinger had run off with his son.