Details are emerging in the case of the Tempe man who allegedly had his father’s body in a freezer

TEMPE, Ariz. – More details are emerging about a Tempe man who was arrested after skeletal remains were found in his freezer.

According to police records, Joseph Hill Jr., 51, told officers the remains were his father’s and that he had had them in his possession for more than four years.

An investigation began with an anonymous tip claiming as much The body of Joseph Hill Sr. was located in a freezer refrigerator in the backyard of the house.

“I mean… that’s wild,” said a neighbor named Penny.

In the quiet community of Tempe, police believe an unsuspecting home harbors a dark secret.

“Oh my God,” Penny said. “That’s shocking.”

Residents like Penny are shocked to hear their neighbor has been arrested for something like this.

Detectives were unable to find government documents related to Hill Sr.’s death. find. Title deeds showed that his father still owned the house Baseline and rural roads and received social security benefits until March 2023.

Armed with a search warrant, detectives discovered a freezer covered in plastic wrap, duct tape and sheets in the backyard, with skeletal remains inside.

The police paperwork shows that Hill Jr. confessed to seeing his father take his last breaths at an Oregon nursing home more than four years ago and then putting his body in a freezer.

When asked why he had not reported his death, Hill Jr. told the officers that he was afraid of losing the house since his name was not on the deed. He also confessed that he had tried several times to bury his father in the desert, but was unsuccessful.

He said the freezer has been without power in the backyard for the past four to six months.

Neighbors who did not want to go on camera told FOX 10 that Hill Jr. grew up in that house and described him as a man who often kept to himself.

They also remembered seeing Hill Sr. had last seen outside about four years ago, in poor health.

Tempe police have not yet confirmed whether the remains belonged to Hill Sr., but said an autopsy is being performed.

When he appeared in court, a judge read Hill Jr. his accusations.

“One count of abandonment or concealment of a corpse, a class five misdemeanor. One count of failure to report a death, a class two misdemeanor,” the judge said.

His bail is $25,000, cash only.

‘That’s crazy. You just never know. That’s why you always have to know who your neighbors are,” Penny said.