A 35-year-old Bell County man is behind bars on a $1.75 million bond after deputies say they found the dismembered, burned remains of his 67-year-old cousin at a rural property south of Holland. Peter John Barabas now faces charges of murder, abuse of a corpse, and three counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence in connection with the death of Larry Barabas.
According to the Greenville Chronicle, Bell County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a possible homicide on the 17700 block of Pecan School Road on August 7. Deputies arriving at the scene found a large amount of blood inside the residence and identified and detained a person of interest without incident, the outlet reported. Investigators later confirmed the two men were cousins, according to a report by KWTX.
Alleged Confession Came Before Deputies Arrived
Court affidavits reviewed by KCEN TV indicate Barabas was already on the property when the 911 caller arrived, and that he allegedly told the caller Larry was dead and that he had killed him the night before. That same reporting found that initial evidence collected by investigators led them to believe the violent incident stemmed from a dispute between a landlord and a tenant, per KWTX.
Judge Wade Faulkner signed a search warrant that allowed the Bell County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division to search the property, per the Greenville Chronicle. During that search, investigators recovered the dismembered body along with several cutting instruments that appeared to have blood on them inside the residence, the outlet reported. Court documents cited by KCEN TV further detail that a blood-stained hand saw and a machete-type weapon were recovered near the front of the home, alongside physical evidence indicating the victim's remains had been burned.
Bond Broken Down by Charge
Arraignment records show Barabas's combined $1.75 million bond consists of $1 million tied to the murder charge, $250,000 for abuse of a corpse, and $500,000 spread across the three tampering-with-evidence counts, according to KCEN TV's review of court filings. Under Texas Penal Code § 19.02, murder is classified as a first-degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 upon conviction, according to information published by the law firm of William Walsh Law. Separately, Texas Penal Code § 42.08 defines abuse of a corpse as knowingly disinterring, disturbing, damaging, dissecting, burning, or otherwise treating a human corpse in an offensive manner without legal authority.
Barabas remains in custody at the Bell County Jail, per the Greenville Chronicle's reporting. Justice of the Peace Michael Tice ordered the victim's remains transported to the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office, located roughly 130 miles north of Holland, for a formal autopsy, according to FOX 7 Austin. The victim was identified as Larry Barabas, 67, of Holland, according to the Greenville Chronicle.
Small Community Shaken by Rural Homicide
The killing occurred in Holland, a small community in southeastern Bell County roughly 17 miles south of Temple with an estimated 2026 population of just 1,201 residents, according to World Population Review. Bell County as a whole had an estimated total population of 402,248 residents in 2025, making it the 15th-most populous county in Texas, per USAFacts. The Bell County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division is leading the investigation, with the Texas Rangers' forensic investigative team assisting, the Greenville Chronicle reported. The Holland Police Department, the Bartlett Police Department, and the Bartlett Volunteer Fire Department also assisted at the scene.
Investigators say they continue to collect evidence and conduct interviews as they work to determine the complete sequence of events, according to the Greenville Chronicle's reporting. Authorities said they are withholding additional details to protect the integrity of the active investigation and any future prosecution, and the Bell County Sheriff's Office has asked anyone with information to come forward. The office also expressed condolences to Larry Barabas's family and loved ones.
Key questions remain unresolved, including the official cause of death pending the Dallas County autopsy report, the exact timeline between the alleged confrontation and the 911 call, and whether prosecutors will pursue additional charges given the multiple tampering counts already filed. All allegations detailed in the probable-cause affidavits remain unproven in court until adjudicated. It's a distinct case from another Bell County murder case Hoodline covered earlier this year, which involved a separate suspect apprehended out of state.
