We will never know what went through Joseph Patton’s mind when he swung the axe into the throat of his uncle Alfred Patton — the uncle who time after time was kind enough to allow his otherwise homeless nephew to share his home.

But we can be absolutely certain without any doubt that it was, indeed, Joseph Patton who swung that axe.

Alfred Patton’s body was found on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015. Experts testified he had been dead for several days.

Yet, despite his uncle’s compassion, Joseph Patton apparently was motivated by selfishness and greed and sought a quick payday after fraudulently purchasing a $20,000 insurance policy on his uncle.

It didn’t take Warren County Sheriff’s Office investigators long to uncover Alfred Patton’s killer. Joseph may have thought he was pulling off the perfect crime, but he left behind a boatload of evidence that acted like a 90-foot neon arrow pointing right at his head flashing, “He did it!”

Patton swore he did not return to his uncle Alfred’s home after Thursday, Sept. 17. However, investigators found a bottle of bleach, purchased at Family Dollar on Sept. 18. Video surveillance played for the jury showed Joseph Patton purchasing that bottle of bleach.

Video surveillance from the Home Depot shows Joseph Patton trying out different axes and purchasing the axe that was used to slay Alfred Patton.

Investigators found a shopping list on a black notebook in Joseph Patton’s car that read, “Clorox, garbage bags, blanket, towels.”

Joseph Patton’s claim that the notebook was his uncle’s elicits nothing short of guffaws.

Prosecutors played three audio recordings, made from a cell phone confiscated from Joseph Patton, which clearly is Joseph Patton speaking, claiming to be Alfred Patton and purchasing a life insurance policy that named Joseph Patton as beneficiary.

The caller told the Met Life representative his address was 3133 Washington St., which happens to be the address Joseph Patton gave police when they detained him on the day his uncle’s body was found.

Why would Alfred Patton, who lived at 60 Nebula Drive for many years, give a Washington Street address? Of course, he would not.

Joseph Patton, claiming to be his uncle, told the Met Life representative to send correspondence about the policy to the email address josephpatton54@gmail.com. Would Alfred Patton want that? Of course, not.

Alfred Patton is the father of three children. Why in the world would he buy a life insurance policy and name his combative nephew as beneficiary? He would not.

We could go on and on listing the prosecution’s evidence against Joseph Patton.

By all accounts, Joseph Patton wasn’t an ideal houseguest. Alfred Patton wanted him gone. He claimed he did not clean up after himself. He “ran the streets,” one witness testified. Mostly, Alfred Patton was frustrated that he had to take his 36-year-old nephew in time after time. He wanted him to get a job, support himself and become a responsible human being.

Now, Patton will never have to pick up after himself nor will he run the streets again. He will be an inmate at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman for the remainder of his life.

This week’s trial contained a number of moments that would be considered laughable if the circumstances weren’t so horribly tragic.

We are grateful to investigators with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s office. We appreciate what you do under some pretty horrific conditions. Because of your work, justice was served.