GUTHRIE, OK – An Oklahoma teenager has been charged with first-degree murder after his adoptive mother was discovered dead in a trash can at their Logan County home during a welfare check, authorities said.
Spring Weems, 49, was found with injuries consistent with homicide after deputies responded to the residence following an anonymous call from someone who reported not having seen her recently. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is leading the case.
A neighbor told investigators she witnessed two teenagers fighting in the yard before deputies arrived. One of the teens reportedly told the neighbor that the other had killed Weems, according to the OSBI.
“Based on the information and evidence obtained, one of the teens was placed into custody,” OSBI public information manager Hunter McKee said in a statement.
The suspect, whose name has not been released due to his age, is being held at the Canadian County Juvenile Center on first-degree murder charges. Weems was a single mother who had adopted three children, authorities said.
An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Investigators have not disclosed a possible motive for the killing.
The case has drawn attention in the small community north of Oklahoma City, where neighbors described Weems as a devoted mother. Additional details about the circumstances leading up to her death have not been released as the investigation remains active.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the OSBI at 1-800-522-8017 or submit tips online through the bureau’s website.
