Couple charged after son’s decomposed body found in broken freezer

HENRY COUNTY, Ala. (WTVY/Gray News) - Police in Alabama may have botched the investigation into the death of a 19-year-old several weeks before the discovery of his decomposed body.

According to sources, Michael Shane Halstead, 44, alerted Headland police officers that he abandoned the remains of his 19-year-old son, Logan Halstead, in a non-working freezer behind his former home. Yet, officers failed to find them during a search, multiple sources confirm.

Michael Halstead and his 43-year-old wife, Karen Halstead, moved from Headland in September following the death of their son. The 19-year-old suffered ongoing medical issues, including spinal bifida, WTVY reports.

The home’s new residents, who were apparently cleaning the house Sunday, found what an autopsy is expected to confirm is Logan Halstead’s body. The body, which was found in a broken freezer in the backyard, was severely decomposed.

Based on its condition, the body may have been in the freezer since late July, according to a Henry County Sheriff’s Office investigator.

Investigators arrested Michael and Karen Halstead and charged them with corpse abuse later Sunday.

According to multiple sources, Michael Halstead notified officers about his son’s remains on Oct. 11. Police went to his previous residence and inspected the freezer but failed to find Logan Halstead’s body. According to court testimony, the remains were placed in a cardboard box and shrouded in tarps and blankets.

Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship said that Michael Halstead claimed to have suffered a manic episode and couldn’t recall how his son got into the freezer.

Dothan Police arrested Michael Halstead on the same day he confessed to placing the body. They jailed him for 10 days because he failed to show up for court on domestic violence charges, Major Will Glover confirmed. He said that Dothan officers were not involved in the freezer search.

During a Monday court hearing, Michael Halstead testified his wife had nothing to do with disposing of their son’s body. A judge set bond for each of them at $175,000.

Blankenship said the investigation is ongoing, and there could be additional charges.

The Alabama Department of Human Resources took custody of the couple’s two other children, who are twins.

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