New homeowners find dead teenager in backyard freezer after moving in
Two people have been arrested after the new owners of a home in Alabama discovered the body of a 19-year-old man in the freezer.
The new owners bought the property in Henry County from a landlord who had previously been renting it out to parents Michael Shane Halstead, 44, and Karen Tysinger Halstead, 43.
Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship said that the family moved away from the home more than a month ago - after which the owner sold the property.
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The new owners were cleaning up the home when they found the old freezer in the backyard.
They realized it was too heavy to move, so they opened it to clean it out and spotted a hand.
The homeowners immediately called 911, with Blankenship explaining the sheriff's office received the 911 call at 11:37am local time on Sunday (29 October)
When deputies arrived, they found a decomposed body believed to be that of Logan Michael Halstead, Michael and Karen's 19-year-old son.
A Henry County Sheriff’s Office investigator said that based on its condition, the body may have been in the freezer since late August.
Michael and Karen were taken into custody later on Sunday, at which point they were charged with abuse of a corpse.
After the arrest of the parents, sources told WTVY that Michael had allegedly alerted officers that he had left his son's remains in a freezer, but when officers searched the home, they were unable to find the body.
The sources claimed that the parents left the home following the death of Logan, who suffered ongoing medical issues including spinal bifida, which is when the spine and spinal cord don't form properly.
Blankenship said Michael claimed to have suffered a manic episode and couldn’t recall how his son got into the freezer.
The dad appeared in court on Monday (30 October), where he testified that his wife had nothing to do with disposing of their son’s body.
In a statement about the discovery, Blankenship said: “This incident is a very tragic situation and our agency is committed to finding out the truth.
“The investigation is still on going and information will continue to be released as the case progresses.”
Bond for the parents has been set by District Judge Derek Peterson at $175,000 each.
The couple's other two children, who are twins, have been taken into the care of the Alabama Department of Human Resources.
Blankenship has said that there could be additional charges as the case continues.
UNILAD has contacted Headland Police Department for comment.
Emily Brown