A father accused of causing the death of his 19-year-old special needs son has died before his case could go to trial

HENRY COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) -- A father accused of causing the death of his 19-year-old special needs son has died before his case could go to trial, Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham confirmed to WDHN.

Court records filed this week show 44-year-old Micheal Shane Halstead died July 7.

WDHN is working to confirm the cause of death. Halstead was out on bond at the time of his death.

Halstead, along with his wife, 43-year-old Karen Tysinger Halstead, was charged with corpse abuse and reckless manslaughter in the death of their son, Logan Michael Halstead.

According to indictments, the Halsteads caused the death of 19-year-old Logan by neglecting him. The indictments go on to say that after Logan was dead, his parents wrapped his dead body in plastic bags and blankets before stuffing him in a freezer.

The freezer and body were found in the backyard of a Headland trailer formally rented by the Halsteads in late October 2023.

Sheriff Eric Blankenship told WDHN it is believed Logan Halsead’s body was put in the freezer in late August 2023, not long before the Halstead family moved from Headland to Jack, Alabama. The new renters found the body while cleaning the property.

Investigators say Logan suffered from Spina Bifida.

The Halsteads were initially only charged with abuse of a corpse, but court documents claim a further investigation provided enough evidence to charge the couple with reckless manslaughter.

A trial date has not been set in Karen Halstead's case.

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