A couple from Texas has been taken into custody following the discovery of their adult son, who had special needs, buried in their backyard. This was confirmed by law enforcement officials.
The body of 26-year-old Jonathan Kinman was uncovered during a welfare check by police at the residence located at 433 White Oak Lane in Burleson, as stated in a Burleson Police social media update.
Jonathan’s mother, December Mitchell, along with his stepfather, Jonathan Mitchell, are facing charges of tampering with and fabricating physical evidence to obstruct a human corpse, classified as a second-degree felony. Further charges might be filed depending on the autopsy results and the ongoing investigation. Both are currently detained with a bond set at $250,000 each.
December and Jonathan Mitchell were formally accused of tampering with and fabricating physical evidence to impair a human corpse. (Johnson County Jail)
Police visited the Mitchells’ home on October 14 for a welfare check concerning Kinman, who resided with the couple.
Deputy Police Chief Doug Sandifer mentioned that the investigation began after a family friend reported a puzzling Facebook post by the couple, which seemed to mourn Kinman’s death, as reported by Fox 4.
Investigators became suspicious after the couple acknowledged Kinman’s death but would only give vague information about how he passed, Sandifer said, the outlet noted.
Investigators became suspicious after the couple acknowledged Jonathan Kinman’s death but would only give vague information about how he passed. (Burleson Police)
“The first information was she said he was taken to Hugeley Hospital and pronounced there. We followed up with that and that was not correct,” Sandifer said. “The conflicting information definitely led us to believe that something was not as it should be.”
On Oct. 15, police officers returned along with the Texas Rangers and discovered a shallow grave in the backyard.
Kinman’s body was exhumed and transported to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy was performed. The autopsy results are still pending, and a cause of death has not yet been determined.
The autopsy results are still pending, and a cause of death has not yet been determined. (Burleson Police)
It also remains unclear when Kinman died.
Police said at no point during the investigation did they believe there was any threat to the community.
