Alabama Couple Arrested After Discovery of Decomposed Body in Freezer at Former Residence
Nov 07, 2023, 02:00 AM
An Alabama couple, Michael Shane Halstead, 44, and Karen Tysinger Halstead, 43, have been arrested and charged with one count each of abuse of a corpse after the severely decomposed body of their 19-year-old son, Logan Michael Halstead, was allegedly found stuffed in a freezer behind their recently vacated home.
The grisly discovery unfolded on October 29 when the new owners of the property, who had plans to dispose of the freezer in the yard, found it too heavy to load onto a trailer. Upon attempting to clean it, they were met with a horrifying sight—a hand inside the overturned freezer. Promptly contacting authorities, deputies arrived at the scene at 11:37 a.m.
Sheriff Eric Blankenship of Henry County confirmed the arrests and hinted at the possibility of additional charges, including murder, as the investigation is in its early stages. "We're only on day one of the investigation, so other potential charges could still be pending," Sheriff Blankenship stated.
The Halsteads were located in Jack, Alabama, approximately 50 miles west of the home, several hours after the discovery. They were transported back to Henry County, where detectives interviewed them. The couple was subsequently booked into Henry County Jail.
Authorities believe that Logan Halstead's body had been in the freezer since late August. Shockingly, Michael had confessed to placing his son's remains in a non-working freezer weeks before the gruesome discovery. The confession occurred on October 11, following the couple's departure from the Headland property. However, during a prior police inspection of the freezer, the body was not found.
Logan, who had spina bifida and various medical issues, was described in court testimony as having been wrapped in tarps and blankets and placed inside a cardboard box. Michael claimed to have suffered a manic episode, unable to recall the circumstances leading to his son's placement in the freezer.
In a bizarre twist, on the same day as Michael's alleged confession, he was arrested by Dothan Police for failing to appear in court on domestic violence charges, spending ten days in jail.
The Halsteads, who had been renting the property, moved away without paying rent sometime after August 2023. The landlord subsequently sold the home to its current owners, who made the shocking discovery while cleaning their newly acquired property.
Logan Halstead's body has been transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy. They made their first court appearance on Monday afternoon, with a bond of $175,000 each.
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The grisly discovery unfolded on October 29 when the new owners of the property, who had plans to dispose of the freezer in the yard, found it too heavy to load onto a trailer. Upon attempting to clean it, they were met with a horrifying sight—a hand inside the overturned freezer. Promptly contacting authorities, deputies arrived at the scene at 11:37 a.m.
Sheriff Eric Blankenship of Henry County confirmed the arrests and hinted at the possibility of additional charges, including murder, as the investigation is in its early stages. "We're only on day one of the investigation, so other potential charges could still be pending," Sheriff Blankenship stated.
The Halsteads were located in Jack, Alabama, approximately 50 miles west of the home, several hours after the discovery. They were transported back to Henry County, where detectives interviewed them. The couple was subsequently booked into Henry County Jail.
Authorities believe that Logan Halstead's body had been in the freezer since late August. Shockingly, Michael had confessed to placing his son's remains in a non-working freezer weeks before the gruesome discovery. The confession occurred on October 11, following the couple's departure from the Headland property. However, during a prior police inspection of the freezer, the body was not found.
Logan, who had spina bifida and various medical issues, was described in court testimony as having been wrapped in tarps and blankets and placed inside a cardboard box. Michael claimed to have suffered a manic episode, unable to recall the circumstances leading to his son's placement in the freezer.
In a bizarre twist, on the same day as Michael's alleged confession, he was arrested by Dothan Police for failing to appear in court on domestic violence charges, spending ten days in jail.
The Halsteads, who had been renting the property, moved away without paying rent sometime after August 2023. The landlord subsequently sold the home to its current owners, who made the shocking discovery while cleaning their newly acquired property.
Logan Halstead's body has been transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy. They made their first court appearance on Monday afternoon, with a bond of $175,000 each.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com