A 16-year-old boy in Oklahoma is accused of planning and carrying out the killing of his adoptive mother, then hiding her body in a trash bin left at the curb, according to court documents.
Jordan Cole Weems is being prosecuted as an adult and faces charges of first-degree murder, desecration of a human corpse, and unauthorized removal of a dead body in the death of 49-year-old Spring Weems.
In a Friday court filing seeking to keep him jailed without bond, prosecutors described the attack as a “brutal bludgeoning,” alleging the victim suffered extensive injuries, including “massive damage to the face” and deforming trauma to the head and face.
Authorities say Jordan Weems admitted to striking his mother repeatedly. In a statement cited by prosecutors, he allegedly confessed to “striking her initially in the face between the eyes,” then beating her unconscious with his fists, and later attacking her again with a hammer.
Prosecutors: Attack Was Planned, Not Impulsive
The court filing argues the killing was not a spur-of-the-moment act. Prosecutors allege Jordan Weems threatened to kill his mother beforehand, retrieved a hammer, and waited for her to come upon him during the night.
“The facts and evidence show that this was not a crime of passion or an instantaneous decision,” prosecutors wrote, alleging he “planned the killing,” “laid in wait,” and attacked “in excess of a dozen times” before taking steps to conceal what happened.
After the alleged killing, prosecutors say he attempted to cover it up by hiding the body, cleaning the scene, creating false explanations for her absence, and lying to relatives about where she had gone.
Alleged Motive Tied to Punishment After Sneaking Out
The events leading up to the killing allegedly began after Jordan Weems and one of his brothers were caught sneaking out of the home and ended up in a situation where they were “running from law enforcement,” Oklahoma City ABC affiliate KOCO reported.
Prosecutors say Spring Weems punished her son by making him and his brother write apology letters to police. She also allegedly made him eat what was described as “prisoner food” (ham or chicken with beans) and wear an orange jumpsuit—reportedly intended to show him what life as an inmate could be like if he didn’t change his behavior.
During that punishment period, Jordan Weems allegedly told a sibling multiple times that he was going to kill their mother, Oklahoma City CBS affiliate KWTV reported.
‘He Just Killed My Mom,’ Brother Allegedly Told Deputies
According to the court filing, when another sibling asked where their mother was, Jordan Weems allegedly claimed she had gone to their older sister’s home to help with a new baby. When she did not return the next day, a sibling contacted their adoptive father—Spring Weems’ ex-husband—who filed a missing persons report with the Logan County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to the family’s home on Jan. 28 after receiving calls about Jordan Weems fighting in the street with a sibling, prosecutors said. When deputies arrived, they found the two boys, and one brother reportedly yelled: “He just killed my mom.”
Investigators then discovered Spring Weems’ body stuffed inside a trash bin that had been rolled to the curb, prosecutors allege.
Judge Grants No-Bond Request; Next Court Date Set
Prosecutors argued Jordan Weems should be held without bond, stating he had no parent “willing to vouch for him” and that the alleged steps taken to conceal the crime showed he posed a risk to the public and could try to flee.
“The facts of this crime, namely that the Defendant planned it… attempted to disguise the fact of the murder… and provided false information to his family… shows the Defendant to be a danger to the community and evinces a desire to flee,” prosecutors wrote.
The request was granted. Jordan Weems is being held without bond, and his next court appearance is currently scheduled for Feb. 24.
