BURLESON, TX - A Burleson couple has been arrested after the body of their 26-year-old son was discovered buried in the backyard of their home earlier this week, according to the Burleson Police Department.
Police say December Marie Mitchell and Jonathan James Mitchell were taken into custody on October 14 and charged with Tampering/Fabricating Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair a Human Corpse, a second-degree felony. Both are being held at the Johnson County Jail on $250,000 bond each.
The investigation began when officers responded to a welfare check at the couple’s residence in the 400 block of White Oak Lane for Jonathan Kinnan, the Mitchells’ 26-year-old son, who had special needs.
During the welfare check, officers received information suggesting that Kinnan might be deceased and buried in the backyard. Investigators secured the scene and obtained a search warrant.
The following morning, with assistance from the Texas Rangers, authorities discovered a shallow grave behind the home. The body was exhumed and taken to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy was conducted on October 16. The cause of death has not yet been determined.
Burleson Police emphasized that at no point during the investigation was there a threat to the public, which is why the case was not disclosed earlier.
