Authorities say the adoptive parents of a Texas boy whose body was discovered inside a washing machine in July have been arrested in connection with his death.
Jemaine Thomas, 42, was charged with capital murder in the death of his son, Troy Khoeler, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez on Tuesday night. Tiffany, Thomas’ 35-year-old wife, was charged with child endangerment by omission.
Troy, 7, was reported missing from his Spring home in the early hours of July 28. Later that morning, a search of the house turned up the child’s body in a top-loading washing machine in the garage.
An autopsy later revealed that Troy, a former foster child adopted by the Thomases in 2019, had been “beaten, suffocated, and possibly drowned,” according to the Sun Herald. Blood evidence was also allegedly discovered throughout the house, including in the washing machine.
“The autopsy revealed that Troy had both new and previous injuries,” Gonzalez explained. “Rest in Peace, he.”
According to records, Jemaine and Tiffany are still being held in the Harris County Jail on $2 million and $150,000 bonds, respectively.
According to court documents filed Tuesday, the couple threatened to bake Troy after he admitted to eating some of Tiffany’s oatmeal cream pie, according to KPRC. Prosecutors claim that text messages between the couple show Jemaine was enraged that the child ate his doughnut sticks, writing, “I need to get the [locks].” I’m going to have to kill him.”
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post.
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