Son charged after dad's body found 'hidden and burned' in firepit off rural road: Sheriff

A 56-year-old antheral successful Tennessee has been arrested for allegedly hiding and burning the assemblage of his dead father successful a firepit.

Richard Keith Wilder was taken into custody past week and charged with 1 number of maltreatment of a corpse, authorities announced. Under state law, maltreatment of a corpse is simply a Class E felony punishable by up to 6 years successful a authorities correctional installation arsenic good arsenic a maximum good of $3,000.

According to a news release from the Marion County Sheriff's Office, investigators connected the lawsuit "developed information" starring them to judge that "Wilder had hidden and burned his deceased father's assemblage astatine a determination successful Mullins Cove." Mullins Cove is simply a agrarian roadworthy a fewer miles northbound of the state's borders with Alabama and Georgia.

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Accompanied by investigators with the territory attorney's office, sheriff's detectives responded to the country and rapidly "located the quality remains" believed to beryllium Wilder's father.

Those remains were "collected from a occurrence pit" and sent to the Medical Examiner's Office successful Nashville to corroborate identification. The sheriff's bureau reportedly told section paper Sequatchie Valley Now that the preliminary results are expected to travel backmost by Monday oregon Tuesday.

Detectives with the neighboring Hamilton County Sheriff's Office besides responded to the determination and assisted with the betterment of the quality remains, per the release.

"On August 14, 2025, Detectives and DA Investigators assisted by the 12th Judicial District Drug and Violent Crime Task Force went to Wilder's residence and arrested Wilder," the merchandise states.

It was not instantly wide however Wilder's begetter died.

Wilder was transported and booked into the Marion County Justice Center and is presently scheduled to look successful General Sessions Court connected Wednesday, Aug. 20.

While authorities said that nary further accusation connected the lawsuit would beryllium released owed to the ongoing investigation, Marion County Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett reportedly told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the probe into Wilder's begetter began backmost successful 2024.

"His begetter passed distant backmost successful December, and helium took him implicit to a spot connected Mullins Cove and tried to destruct the assemblage by fire, according to our investigators," Burnett told the newspaper.

Wilder's location is reportedly successful Whitwell, Tennessee, astir 20 miles northbound of Mullins Cove.