'A human skull': Agitated man charged with murder after 'talking about a cremation' leads to burned 'skeletal remains' being found on his property, authorities say

A California antheral is down bars aft a burned quality skull and different remains were recovered connected his property, constabulary successful The Golden State say.

Joseph Dexter Taylor, 52, stands accused of 1 number each of murder, being a felon successful possession of a firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon, arsenic good arsenic 2 counts of arson, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Office.

The underlying incidental occurred astatine a residence connected Ricky Road successful the agrarian Hurleton country eastbound of Oroville – a tiny metropolis located immoderate 70 miles owed northbound of Sacramento – and is believed to person taken the beingness of 33-year-old Chris Kidwell.

On March 21, 2 radical called 911 to study the find of "what they believed to beryllium a quality skull and different skeletal remains" astatine the residence successful question, according to a press release issued by the Butte County District Attorney's Office.

"The 2 men said Taylor arrived astatine their location successful the aboriginal greeting hours of March 20, appearing agitated and talking astir a cremation," the property merchandise reads. "They noted that Taylor had pain marks connected his legs."

The suspect was charged aboriginal that aforesaid day, according to the sheriff's office.

Evidence from the ensuing probe led instrumentality enforcement to judge the remains belonged to Kidwell, a antheral who had been surviving connected Taylor's spot since sometime successful precocious 2025, according to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey.

A confirmation of the recognition is forthcoming, authorities said, pending a DNA analysis. Kidwell's household antecedently contacted the sheriff's bureau connected March 20, aft unsuccessfully attempting to interaction him for astir a week, according to the DA's office.

"Evidence from the probe indicates Kidwell was changeable earlier Taylor burned his body," the DA's property merchandise goes on.

The sheriff's bureau took banal of the probe successful their ain press release, relaying the bid of events aft the 911 call.

"Deputies responded to the determination and confirmed the beingness of the remains," the property merchandise reads. "Detectives obtained a hunt warrant for 2 parcels connected Ricky Road and recovered the quality remains on with further grounds related to the investigation."

The sheriff's bureau goes connected to accidental their probe was "extensive" and uncovered grounds "leading them to believe" the suspect was liable for the victim's murder.

"Taylor was already successful custody astatine the Butte County Jail connected an unrelated felony apprehension warrant," the sheriff's bureau property merchandise goes on. The DA's bureau said that anterior warrant was related to a firearm offense.

The probe is said to beryllium ongoing.

The suspect is presently being detained connected a no-bail clasp and besides has pending arson cases successful Lake County, the DA's bureau said.

Taylor appeared successful tribunal connected March 26, wherever helium pleaded not blameworthy to the charges. He is adjacent slated to look successful tribunal connected April 2.