In Tempe, Arizona, Joseph Daniel Hill Jr. has been arrested for allegedly storing his deceased father's body in a backyard freezer for over four years. Court documents indicate that Hill Jr. may have done this out of fear of losing the house owned by his father, Joseph Hill Sr.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, officers found a freezer wrapped in plastic, duct tape, and sheets in the backyard of a home, which contained skeletal remains. Hill Jr., 51, reportedly admitted to police that he failed to report his father's death after he passed away in a nursing home in Oregon, fearing he would lose the property since his name was not on the deed.
Initial information came from an anonymous tip-off about the location of Hill Sr.'s remains, leading authorities to investigate the matter further. Neighbors were shocked to hear the news, with one saying, "That’s nuts. You just never know. That’s why you should always know who your neighbors are," as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
The case started when investigators found no records of Hill Sr.’s death, even though social security benefits were being collected until March 2023. A tip led police to Joseph Hill Jr.’s home, where he initially resisted checking the freezer but later admitted, "There was going to be something in the freezer," as stated by AZ Family. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner is working to confirm the identity of the remains and determine the cause of Hill Sr.'s death. Hill Jr. faces charges of failure to report a death and concealing a dead body, and he is in Maricopa County jail with a bond set at $25,000, cash only.
