Investigators say the 16-year-old admitted striking his adoptive mother with a hammer before placing her body in a trash can outside their home.
EDMOND, OK — A 49-year-old Logan County woman was found dead in a trash can outside her home Wednesday, and her 16-year-old adopted son has been arrested and charged as an adult in her killing, authorities said.
State and county investigators said the boy, identified in court records as Jordan Cole Weems, is accused of killing his adoptive mother, Spring Weems, at their home in the 9000 block of Treviso Trail near Bryant Road and Simmons Road. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is leading the case, with assistance from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors filed charges Friday, saying the teen admitted to using a hammer. The case has gripped a quiet Edmond-area subdivision where neighbors awoke to patrol cars and crime-scene tape midweek as detectives searched the property and collected evidence.
Deputies initially went to the home for a welfare check after family members voiced concern that Spring Weems had not been seen or heard from, according to investigators. Two teenagers were at the house when deputies arrived. Authorities later found the homeowner’s body in a trash can near the curb with injuries consistent with homicide. Jordan Weems was detained Wednesday and interviewed by investigators. In an affidavit described by officials, the teen said he retrieved a hammer from the garage, waited in the kitchen area and struck his mother in the head, continuing until she stopped moving. He told investigators he then placed her in a trash container and rolled it to the driveway. “This is a heartbreaking case,” a Logan County official said. “We’re working carefully to document each step of what happened.”
By Friday, the district attorney charged Jordan Weems with first-degree murder, desecration of a human corpse and unauthorized removal of a dead body. A motion filed by prosecutors asked a judge to deny bail, arguing the killing was planned over several days and not an impulsive act. Investigators said one sibling told agents the accused had talked repeatedly about killing their mother after recent discipline at home. Court records indicate the teen was charged as an adult but is currently being held in a juvenile detention facility while the court considers custody and safety issues. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death. Authorities said no additional suspects are being sought at this time.
Neighbors identified the subdivision as typically quiet, with school-age children out on bikes and families walking dogs in the evenings. Deputies and OSBI personnel cordoned off the driveway and part of the street for hours as crime-scene technicians processed the container and vehicles and searched the garage and kitchen area. The sheriff’s office said the initial call came midweek after relatives noticed the victim’s car remained in the driveway and she failed to answer her phone. Investigators also documented statements from family members about recent household rules and consequences after two teens had been in trouble for sneaking out, according to the affidavit summarized by officials. None of those details change the central allegation, investigators said: the mother died from blunt-force injuries inside the home.
The case moves now into Oklahoma’s criminal court system, where first-degree murder carries a potential life sentence. A judge will consider the prosecution’s request to deny bail at an upcoming hearing. If the teen remains in a juvenile facility for housing, the adult charges still proceed in district court. The OSBI said its work continues, including analysis of physical evidence from the home, phones and electronic devices, and a full autopsy report from the medical examiner. Authorities did not announce a firm timeline for additional filings. Any decision on further charges or amendments would come from the district attorney after investigators complete their reports.
Through the day Friday, friends and neighbors left flowers near the mailbox and spoke quietly about a woman they described as deeply involved in her children’s lives. A resident who lives a few houses away said the sight of a trash cart surrounded by investigators was “something you never expect to see here.” Another neighbor said the subdivision plans to give the family privacy while authorities work. Law enforcement officials urged patience as detectives document what they called a “painful” scene. “We will follow the facts wherever they lead,” an OSBI spokesperson said.
As of Saturday morning, the teen remained in custody and no additional arrests were announced. Investigators said they will release further updates after the medical examiner completes initial findings and the court sets hearing dates next week.
Author note: Last updated January 31, 2026.