Father Pleads Not Guilty to Charge of Killing Son, 9

A Sylmar man who authorities allege killed his 9-year-old son in a failed murder-suicide attempt was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and a special circumstance that could bring him the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ronald Rennie, 38, pleaded not guilty in Van Nuys Municipal Court to the murder charge and the special circumstance, in which it is alleged that he killed his son, Christopher, by administering poison or drugs.

An autopsy failed to determine the cause of the boy’s death or how long he had been dead. Further toxicological tests are under way, authorities said.

The older Rennie disclosed in a letter to his attorney plans to kill himself and his son, authorities said. He wrote that he and his son would be dead by the time the lawyer received the letter, authorities said.

The attorney immediately contacted police, who found Christopher dead and his father comatose Monday in the upstairs bedroom of Rennie’s townhouse in the 12600 block of Ralston Avenue.

Passages were underlined in two books on how to commit suicide that police found in the townhouse, said Christine A. Thurman, Los Angeles County deputy district attorney.

Ronald Rennie was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, then transferred to the jail ward at County-USC Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition. He is being held without bail.