Samuel Olson's death ruled homicide as autopsy reveals he died of 'blunt head trauma'
HOUSTON, TEXAS: Authorities have revealed that the body found earlier this month in a plastic bin inside a motel room in Jasper has now been positively identified as Samuel Olson. Till now, it was only suspected to be that of the 5-year-old boy who had been reported missing on May 27. According to the initial autopsy report, Samuel died from "homicidal violence with blunt head trauma."
Theresa Balboa, the girlfriend of Samuel’s father Dalton Olson, was arrested on Tuesday, June 1. Before she was arrested, Balboa had allegedly planned to travel to Louisiana with the child’s body. A motion for bail alleged that after having her roommate help her hide the boy’s body, she schemed to flee the state of Texas with the remains. But her plan was foiled when authorities found her and the body inside a Jasper, Texas, motel room. She's charged with tampering with evidence in connection with Samuel's death.
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When Balboa appeared in court on Monday, June 7, a judge added a $100,000 bond for the assault case. Her existing bond for a charge of tampering with evidence, in particular a human corpse, in connection with Samuel's death remains at $500,000, bringing her total bond to $600,000. Samuel, as per older news reports, allegedly died more than two weeks before he was reported missing on May 27 by Balboa and Dalton.
According to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, the cause of death is homicidal violence with blunt head trauma. Although, the time and date of his death have not been reported as of yet. On May 28, the day after the boy was reported missing, Balboa's roommate told detectives that Samuel died on or around May 10.
Benjamin Rivera said Balboa called him at work that day to tell him Samuel was dead. The roommate said when he returned home to their apartment in Webster, he saw Samuel’s bruised body lying on a bed. He said he and Balboa had placed the body in a bathtub for a couple of days.
Rivera also told law enforcement authorities that he went to Walmart and bought a plastic bin and duct tape. The receipt was found during the investigation. He said he and Balboa wrapped Samuel's body in a plastic sheet and put it in the bin. Then they took it to a storage unit at 16650 Highway 3 in Webster.
Rivera revealed to cops that he had booked a room for Balboa under his name at the Best Western Inn on West Gibson Street in Jasper. A surveillance camera showed a man and woman get out of a truck registered to that man and drag a plastic bin into Room 106. He then said that after he went home, he called Crime Stoppers and told them they could find her at the Best Western.
When officers acting on that tip arrived at the scene, they reportedly found the plastic container in the room and Balboa in the bathroom. Upon removing the lid secured with zip ties, cops reportedly found a small body stuffed inside a black plastic bag and wrapped in duct tape. Balboa was arrested at the motel shortly afterward.