The body of a Butler County man missing for 12 days was found in a freezer in his home this morning, and now authorities are classifying his death as a homicide.
The body of Michael Dwayne Graham, 40, was found this morning at his home on Highway 10, said Sheriff Kenny Harden. Graham was last seen alive July 12. His family filed a missing person’s report when notified by his employers that he had not shown up for work.
http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html
Harden said investigators initially went to the home with family members and did a cursory search. They returned with a search warrant this morning and discovered the deep-freezer under a pile of clothing. That is when they found Graham’s body inside.
The body, and the freezer, have been taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for additional examination and autopsy. The sheriff did not release the cause of death.
The victim’s car was recovered in the Atlanta area.
Relatives told Montgomery television station WSFA that it’s out of the norm for him to travel very far or stay out of touch for long without bringing them in the loop. “He’s never done anything like that before. If he goes out for a long period of time, he always lets us know,” his niece, Tasha Graham, said during the search. “I don’t know what could have happened. That’s what puzzles my mind.”
Harden told AL.com this afternoon they have a person of interest in Graham’s death, but said no charges have been filed.
