Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Son Charged w Murder After Killing & Slow Roasting Mom's Corpse in Fire Pit| Crime Alert 6AM 10.23.2025

Episode Date: October 23, 2025

A son is behind bars, after he allegedly bludgeoned his mom over bills, then tried to burn her body in a fire pit; that's where cops found her charred spinal cord. A dad drives into a flood zone, despite warning, killing his toddler. Now, he's facing felony charges. Plus, a cheerleader fatally shot at a bonfire - will live on...in others, thanks to her monumental gifts. Jennifer Gould reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crime Alert. I'm Nancy Grace. Breaking Crime News now. When Nicholas Yates's mom went missing, he described her as the sweetest person ever. Now, Indiana police charge him with her murder. Human remains found in the burn pit in the backyard. Wow, that's original. The county coroner's office working to identify the remains, but police believe they do belong to Cheryl Yates, reported missing by her 20 years. old son. Jennifer Gould has the details. Nancy, Nicholas Thomas Yates, is now charged with murder after police say he brutally killed his own mother, Cheryl Yates, then spent an entire day slow roasting her body to ash to cover the unthinkable crime in Clinton, Indiana. Yates 20 triggered instant suspicion when he reported his mother missing. During the call to cops, the calculating son made a fatal verbal slip telling detectives, quote, she was the sweetest person, end quote. A chilling use of past tense that immediately flagged him as the prime suspect.

The lies mounted as he offered bizarre excuses for why her phone and computer had been left behind, later confessing he sold both electronics at a local electronic store for quick cash. The horrific motive, Cheryl, had told coworkers she was furious with her son for wasting money while she paid his bills, and she planned to make him move out. This argument over his tenancy and finances unfortunately escalated violently. Yates allegedly confessed he struck his mom in the throat, causing her face to turn blue. She reportedly fell backward, hitting her head first on a metal bed frame, then a wooden chest, and became unconstitutional. unresponsive. In a macabre attempt at disposal, Yates admitted to stuffing her body in a wooden box, leaving it overnight before spending the entirety of the next day burning her remains in that outdoor

fire pit. After the murder, he brazenly moved new roommates into the victim's bedroom, telling them his mother was, quote, moving out, and he was, quote, afraid to be alone, end quote. Police searched the backyard discovering the bones in the burn pit, including a charred human spinal column confronted with the grotesque evidence, Yates allegedly admitted to the slang. He was taken into custody without incident and is being held without bond. He has since pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. His next court date is in January. For more crime and justice news, watch crime stories with Nancy Grace on Fox One and you and you can also listen to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on your favorite podcast app.

Nancy. Thanks, Jennifer. More Crime and Justice News after this. A California father's desperate month-long ordeal ended in handcuffs after he was charged in connection with the horrific death of his two-year-old son, savior, who was fatally swept away at a torrent of floodwaters. Brandon Aguilera Padilla 26 was arrested following an investigation by the Barstow Police Department, which culminated in the San Bernardadino County District DA's office filing charges. While police initially booked the father on a murder charge, the final counts are vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and child abuse endangerment under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injuries.

or death. The latter count includes a special allegation of willful harm resulting in death. The terrifying incident unfolded on September 18th at 7.14 p.m. on the 24,000 block of West Main Street in Barstow, when floodwaters violently overtook Aguilera Padilla's vehicle carrying it into a wash. Reports indicate the father allegedly ignored explicit warning. and drove directly into the treacherous flood zone after the car was overwhelmed. The father and son managed to exit but were immediately separated by the surging current. This witness spoke to the media. The current kind of took his car into a ditch when the car stopped.

That's when he grabbed the baby and got out of the car. And the current ripped the baby out of his hands along with. his clothes, his underwear, his pants, and took off. First responders located the father on a small flooded island and rescued him, but the search for the highly vulnerable child who suffered from autism and was nonverbal continued through the night. The following day, the toddlers' remains were tragically discovered in the San Bernardino County Flood Control Channel.

Aguilera Padilla was arrested at his home. he pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on October 21st. He's being held on a $200,000 bond. The next court date is October 27th. Anyone with information about this incident has been asked to call Detective Bryce Carson at 760-255-8183. And finally, an 18-year-old cheerleader's life was tragically cut short, but her death sealed a monumental, life-saving legacy.

Kimber Mills was fatally shot at a bonfire party in Alabama, suffering catastrophic wounds to her head and leg in the sudden senseless violence that wounded three others, and led to the arrest of 27-year-old Stephen Tyler Whitehead. After three agonizing days on life support, her devastated family made the ultimate decision preparing to say their final goodbyes. On Tuesday, Kimber was wheeled down the UAB hospital corridor

in a heart-wrenching honor walk. Shane McKay was there and spoke to CBS 42 News. It was emotional. As soon as she turned that corner, the whole hallway crying, you can tell she was really loved by the whole community. Hundreds of staff and loved ones lined the hall as the beloved student who once aspired to be a nurse, nurse was taken to surgery to become an organ donor. Her heart, lungs, and kidneys were given to

others ensuring her final mission was fulfilled, saving lives. In the meantime, the gunman Whitehead has been charged with three counts of attempted murder, but with Kimber's passing, charges are expected to be upgraded. Nancy. For the latest, Crime and Justice News, go to crimeonline.com, and please join us for our daily podcast, Crime Stories, where we do our best to find missing people, especially children, and help solve unsolved homicides. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace. This is an I-Heart podcast.