2 charged with murder after bone fragments found at Wheatfield, Indiana home: officials

JASPER COUNTY, Ind. (WLS) -- Two people are facing murder charges after bones fragments were found in the backyard of a home in Wheatfield, Indiana during a search earlier this week, the Jasper County sheriff said Friday.

The Jasper County Sheriff's Office said bones fragments were found in the backyard of a home in Wheatfield, Indiana during a search Monday.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Steven N. Valle, 31, is facing charges of Murder (Level 1 Felony), Neglect of a Dependent Causing Death (Level 1 Felony), Abuse of a Corpse (Level 6 Felony) and Obstruction of Justice (Level 6 Felony).

Samantha J. Sebella, 25, is facing charges of Murder (Level 1 Felony), Neglect of a Dependent Causing Death (Level 1 Felony), Abuse of a Corpse (Level 6 Felony), Obstruction of Justice (Level 6 Felony) and Failure to Report a Dead Body (Class A Misdemeanor).

Investigators were back at the home in the 4200-block of Old Orchard Lane Tuesday afternoon.

In a press released, the sheriff's office said they first received a report on Sept. 20 about an alleged confession from a person to their acquaintances that they had killed two of their unregistered children and burned their bodies in a backyard fire pit at that home.

Sheriff's deputies launched an investigation and found the suspect or suspects in question at a hotel in Newton County. They were interviewed by law enforcement and denied the reports, and their cell phones were taken as evidence. The sheriff's office said "additional information" was uncovered on those cell phones.

When police confronted the suspects with this new evidence, they still denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of the incident, the sheriff's office said.

Police said they took another unregistered child who was in the suspects' care into protective custody with the Indiana Department of Child Services at that time.

The ongoing investigation, which included pulling cell phone records, led police to the home Monday where officers from the sheriff's department, Jasper County Coroner's Office, Indiana State Police and Indiana Department of Homeland Security along with cadaver dogs were seen going through the property.

The dogs identified three locations where police said they found bone fragments.

The bone fragments have been sent to a forensic anthropologist to determine if they are human or animal, which the coroner told ABC7 could take weeks.

Records show the home in question is a rental property. The current tenant has only been living there a few months and does not appear to be the target of the investigation.

Police said the landowner and the current tenant have been cooperating with them for the investigation.

The town has fewer than 1,000 people.