An Indiana community is reeling following the arrest of a couple accused of disturbing crimes. Steven Valle, 31, and Samantha Sebella, 25, were charged with murder and more following an investigation. Allegedly, they killed, burned, and buried up to two undocumented children.
It all started when one of the suspects allegedly confessed the crimes to an acquaintance. Detectives discovered information that prompted them to search the couple’s old home — where they found bone fragments in the backyard.
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The Indiana couple was charged with murder, among other charges.
On October 4, Valle and Sebella were charged on multiple counts, CBS News reported. The Indiana couple was charged with murder, neglect of a dependent causing death, obstruction of justice, and failure to report a dead body. All but failure to report a dead body are felonies.
On September 20, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office received a disturbing report.
That report prompted an investigation, according to NBC Chicago. Allegedly, an individual confessed to acquaintances that they had killed two of their children and burned the bodies in a fire pit in the backyard of their Wheatfield, Indiana, home. A news release referred to the children as “undocumented,” which means the state has no official records for them, not that they are illegal immigrants.
Detectives confiscated phones and took a child into protective custody.
The sheriff’s office located the suspects at a hotel in nearby Newton County and seized their cellular devices, CBS News reported. After obtaining new information from the devices, detectives contacted the suspects again. That’s when the Indiana Department of Child Services took a child in the care of the suspects into protective custody.
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Bone fragments discovered in the backyard of their previous home are being tested to see if they're human.
On September 30, Jasper County sheriff’s detectives and other law enforcement personnel searched the Wheatfield home, per CBS News. Cadaver dogs alerted police to three locations with partial bone fragments.
Investigators reportedly used shovels to break ground in the yard, collecting dirt samples and sifting through a backyard fire pit. Experts in Indianapolis are testing the bones to determine if they were from humans or animals.
A neighbor weighed in on the investigation.
“It’s a shame if there’s kids buried in the backyard, ” a neighbor, Kathy Hudspath, told CBS Chicago. “It’s disgusting.” She later said, “I just seen the couple that lived there. They had a little boy. But I didn’t see any other kids.”
