A North Texas couple is facing serious felony charges after police discovered the body of their special needs son buried in a shallow grave in their backyard. The investigation has sent shockwaves through the Burleson community, located south of Fort Worth.
The Burleson Police Department initiated a welfare check on Tuesday, October 14, at a residence on White Oak Lane. The call was prompted by a concerned friend of December Mitchell, who had contacted authorities after seeing social media posts suggesting Mitchell’s 26-year-old son, Jonathan Kinman, was deceased.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers spoke with Kinman’s mother. Her account of events immediately raised suspicions among investigators. “She said he was taken to Huguley Hospital and pronounced there, and we followed up with that, and that was not correct,” said Burleson Police Deputy Chief Doug Sandifer.
The discrepancy led police to obtain a search warrant for the property. The subsequent search revealed a horrifying discovery. Investigators found Kinman’s body in a shallow grave dug in the home’s backyard. The remains were exhumed and transported to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. The official cause of death is currently pending determination.
December Mitchell and the victim’s stepfather, Jonathan Mitchell, were taken into custody at the scene. Both have been charged with tampering with physical evidence with the intent to impair a human corpse, a second-degree felony. The couple is currently being held in the Johnson County Jail, with a bond set at $250,000 for each individual, as per NBC 5.
Authorities expressed their sorrow over the tragic case. “We want to offer our condolences for the friends and family members who cared for Jonathan and came forward to report this,” said Sandifer. “This was also very heartbreaking to our officers on scene and staff to handle.” Deputy Chief Sandifer confirmed that Jonathan Kinman had Russell Silver Syndrome, a rare genetic growth disorder.
Police estimate that the young man had been deceased for approximately one to two days before his body was discovered. Neighbors expressed profound shock and disbelief. Betty Noyola, who lives next door to the couple, shared her reaction.
“You might think you know your neighbor, but you don’t,” said Betty Noyola, who lives next door. She noted that the Mitchells had moved in two years ago, and she never observed the victim entering or leaving the home. “They knew I had a special needs grandchild, and they never once mentioned they had a special needs child,” she said. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Jonathan Kinman’s death remains active and ongoing.