Troy Khoeler death: Adoptive parents of Texas boy, 7, found dead in washing machine charged with murder
Warning: The article contains information about child abuse that some readers may find triggering. Discretion is advised.
SPRING, TEXAS: Authorities said that the adoptive parents of a Texas boy whose body was discovered inside a washing machine in July 2022 have been detained in connection with his death. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez stated on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, that Jemaine Thomas, 42, has been charged with capital murder in connection with the death of his son Troy Khoeler, 7. While his wife Tiffany was accused of neglecting and charged with omitting to cause injury to a child.
MEAWW previously reported on July 28, 2022, that a seven-year-old boy, who had been missing for a while, was discovered dead in a washing machine at his house. Authorities claimed that at around 7:20 am, Troy's body was found inside a top-load washing machine in the garage of his family's home in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston. According to Lt Robert Minchew of the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the boy's adoptive parents had called 911 two hours before the incident to report him missing.
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Arrest update: this has been an extensive investigation. Jermaine and Tiffany Thomas have been arrested and placed in the Harris County Jail. Jermaine (42) has been charged with Capital Murder and Tiffany (35) with Injury to a Child by Omission. The Harris County Institute of 1/2 https://t.co/JO0M921zd9
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) November 16, 2022
Troy, a former foster child who the Thomases adopted in 2019, was found to have been "beaten, suffocated, and possibly drowned," according to an autopsy, the Sun Herald reported. The property allegedly had more incriminating blood traces, including in the washing machine. “The autopsy revealed that Troy suffered new and previous injuries,” Gonzalez said, adding “May he Rest in Peace.”
Earlier, Minchew stated to the reporters, "We don't know what happened, but we plan to find out. Whether he was killed by the washing machine or killed and placed in it, I can't remark since we're just so far away." Khoeler was reported missing to the police at around 5:20 am, but according to Minchew, he may have vanished as early as 4 am. Cops were questioning the parents when they decided to search the house since they couldn't find any signs that a window or door had been left open.
According to records, Tiffany and Jemaine continue to be detained in the Harris County Jail on bonds of $2 million and $150,000, respectively. According to court records submitted on Tuesday, November 15, the couple allegedly threatened to bake Troy after he admitted to eating some of Tiffany's oatmeal cream pie, as per reports from KPRC.
Additionally, according to the prosecution, texts between the couple show that Jemaine expressed his rage at the youngster eating his doughnut sticks by writing, "I need to get the [locks]." I'm going to end up kill[ing] him.”
If you or anyone you know suspects child abuse, you are urged to immediately call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.