Missing father found killed and buried by son in backyard garden, Alabama police say

A father was shot, killed and then buried in the backyard at the hands of his own son, Alabama police said.

Now, 30-year-old Ledarius Cash has been charged with murder, according to a news release from the Birmingham Police Department.

Donald Cash, 52, was last seen Sept. 26 before he was reported missing and believed to be in danger, police reported at the time.

On Nov. 6, police searched his son’s home in Birmingham and found what appeared to be a garden and compost pile. A K-9 alerted investigators to the compost and they dug up human remains, police said.

An initial autopsy revealed the person had been shot.

The younger Cash was taken into custody and charged with abuse of a corpse as the Jefferson County coroner worked to identify the remains, according to police.

As the family waited for confirmation, they held a vigil in the elder Cash’s honor Nov. 26, two months after he was last seen.

“He was a family man. He made sure his kids and grandkids were taken care of,’’ daughter Cyerria King told AL.com. “He looked out for everybody. He was always smiling.”

Nearly three months to the day after Cash went missing, the Jefferson County coroner confirmed the remains found in the backyard were Donald Cash’s.

Ledarius Cash has now been charged with murder and is being held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail. His attorney information is not available.

This story was originally published December 28, 2023 at 4:44 AM with the headline "Missing father found killed and buried by son in backyard garden, Alabama police say."