A former correctional officer is accused of murdering his wife and forcing his seven children to witness and participate in the act, authorities in Missouri said. Jonathan G. Houston, 44, was arrested after one of his children contacted 911 from a hotel room, reporting that they and their siblings were kidnapped and subjected to ongoing abuse by their father.
Responding officers found the children on Sunday at the Baymont Inn & Suites in Kingdom City. According to charging documents, one of the children told police that Houston had strangled their mother approximately 10 months prior while the other children were present. During the alleged murder, Houston reportedly compelled one child to pour hot water on his wife's legs and another to cover her mouth to stifle her screams.
Court records indicate that Houston locked the three youngest children in a bathroom and played loud music to prevent them from hearing the events. He is also accused of placing his wife's body in a trash bag and disposing of it in a dumpster on the hotel property. The victim, whose identity has not been fully released, was not reported missing.
Houston confessed to investigators that he killed his wife and had premeditated the act, according to charging documents. He is also under investigation for a prior sexual assault and other alleged assaults.
"At this point we're 48 hours afterwards on a crime that we're already 10 months behind on," stated Chief Deputy Curtis Hall of the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office, according to KOMU. "We have to be mindful of what we can release and what we should release."
Houston has been charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping and is being held without bond. The children have been placed in protective custody.