The 18-year-old son of a Greeneville police officer who had been found shot to death on Wednesday night at his home was arraigned in Greene County General Sessions Court this morning on a first-degree (felony) murder charge.

Ethan Alexander Self, a GHS senior, admitted during questioning by sheriff's detectives and TBI investigators on Thursday that he had shot his father, GPD Sgt. Roger Self, as he slept in bed on Wednesday, according to Sheriff Steve Burns.

Speaking in a barely audible voice during this morning's brief court appearance, Ethan Self told Greene County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Bailey, Jr., that he planned to hire his own attorney.

Judge Bailey then scheduled a preliminary hearing for April 14 at 1:30 p.m. before directing that Self be returned to custody.

The murder charge was filed about 6 p.m. Thursday by Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Mike Fincher, according to Sheriff Burns.

Ethan Self had lived with his father, GPD Dispatch Sgt. Roger Self, 46, at their Love Street residence off Buckingham Road, according to the arrest warrant.

Roger Self, a 14-year veteran of the Greeneville Police Department, had been an auxiliary officer before being employed full-time by the department.

GPD police chief Terry Cannon described Roger Self as "an excellent officer and a good friend."

GPD officers and Greene County sheriff's deputies were wearing black bands on their badges today to show respect for their late colleague.

Sgt. Roger Self's body had been discovered by Greeneville Police Lt. Mike Crum about 7:35 p.m. Wednesday after Self failed to report to work at the Greeneville Police Department at 7 p.m., Sheriff Steve Burns said.

Neither the sheriff, nor the arrest warrant, specified whether the weapon used in the fatal shooting was Sgt. Self's police-issued firearm or another handgun.

Sheriff Burns also said on Thursday evening that he could not discuss any possible motive for Sgt. Self's fatal shooting.

The arrest warrant did not specify the time when the shooting is believed to have taken place on Wednesday, March 24.

Specifically, the arrest warrant alleges that Ethan A. Self committed the offense of first-degree (felony) murder "by the premeditated and intentional killing of his father, Roger Self, with a handgun."

After being advised of his "Miranda rights," Ethan Self "did admit ... to shooting his father as he slept in his bed at their residence at 90 Love Street," the arrest warrant alleges.

A $500,000 appearance bond had initially been set for Ethan Self. He is being held at the Greene County Detention Center in lieu of that bond.

No motion to reduce that bond was made during this morning's arraignment of Ethan Self.

Ethan Self's mother (and Roger Self's wife), the late Kathryn Anne Self, died in December 2007 while at work at Laughlin Memorial Hospital.

She was a veteran nursing supervisor at the hospital.

She was found "unresponsive" in an unoccupied patient room on Dec. 28, 2007, according to a police report filed at that time.

Her death was believed to be the result of natural causes, according to police.