An Arizona man stored his deceased father in a freezer for years to keep their home, police say

A man in Arizona told detectives he put his deceased father’s body in a freezer and moved it around the state for four years — all to keep a roof over his head, police say.

A man in Arizona told detectives he put his deceased father’s body in a freezer and moved it around the state for four years — all to keep a roof over his head, police say. Joseph Hill was arrested last week on multiple charges, including concealing a body in his backyard and failing to report the death of someone not under the care of a healthcare provider, according to police. CNN has reached out to the Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender for comment. A bond of $25,000 was set for his release, according to a final release order of the case. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 4. According to court documents obtained by CNN, Tempe police received an online tip on October 22 alleging the 51-year-old Arizona native was keeping his dead father, Joseph Hill Sr., in a freezer in the backyard of his residence. The tip described the freezer to be covered in a tarp and blankets. Police visited Hill at his home the same day but were barred from inspecting the freezer, according to a probable cause statement in the documents. The defendant claimed his father had passed away in Oregon four years ago. Detectives on the case attempted to verify Hill Sr.’s record of death but were unable to do so, according to the statement. They instead found records showing Hill’s father was still the owner of the home and that he was collecting Social Security benefits up until March 2023.