An Oklahoma teenager is accused of methodically planning and carrying out the killing of his adoptive mother before hiding her body in a trash bin and rolling it to the curb.
Jordan Cole Weems, 16, has been charged as an adult in the death of 49-year-old Spring Weems and now faces first-degree murder, desecration of a human corpse, and unauthorized removal of a dead body.
Court filings describe a calculated attack that prosecutors argue unfolded over time rather than in a sudden emotional outburst.
According to those filings, Jordan Weems admitted he retrieved a hammer from the family garage, positioned himself in a hallway between the laundry room and kitchen, and waited for his mother to appear.
When Spring Weems stepped into the hallway, prosecutors allege the teen struck her repeatedly in the head, inflicting massive facial injuries and severe deformation to her head and face.
Authorities say the attack continued well beyond the first blow, with the filing alleging the victim was struck more than a dozen times with both the hammer and fists.
After the killing, Jordan Weems allegedly placed his mother’s body inside a trash can and wheeled it outside to the curb in an apparent effort to conceal the crime.
Prosecutors contend the teen then attempted to mask what had happened by cleaning parts of the home and creating false explanations for his mother’s disappearance.
“The facts and evidence show that this was not a crime of passion or an instantaneous decision,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing seeking to keep him jailed without bond.
“That he planned the killing by retrieving a hammer and laying in wait to surprise his mother in the middle of the night,” the filing continued, detailing what officials describe as a deliberate ambush.
The filing further alleges that after killing his mother, the defendant “took steps to hide the body, clean up the scene, fabricate evidence to excuse her absence, and lied to his family about her location.”
Jordan Weems had no prior criminal record, but court documents note he had recently been committed to a psychiatric hospital after reporting suicidal thoughts.
Prosecutors say the events leading up to the killing stemmed from discipline imposed after Jordan and one of his brothers were caught sneaking out and later running from law enforcement.
According to the filings, Spring Weems responded by forcing the boys to write apology letters to police and imposing punishments she believed would discourage future misconduct.
Those punishments allegedly included serving meals described as “prisoner food,” wearing an orange jumpsuit, and restricting access to personal belongings.
Investigators say Jordan Weems repeatedly threatened to kill his mother during this period, statements that were allegedly heard by at least one sibling.
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When questioned by family members about Spring Weems’ absence after the killing, prosecutors say Jordan Weems told relatives she had gone to help an older sibling with a new baby.
As hours passed without contact, concerns grew after her car remained parked at the home, her bedroom door was locked, and phone calls went unanswered.
The situation escalated on Jan. 28 when deputies responded to reports of Jordan Weems fighting with one of his brothers in the street.
Upon arrival, law enforcement encountered the two boys, and one sibling reportedly shouted, “He just killed my mom.”
Deputies then discovered Spring Weems’ body inside a trash bin that had been moved to the curb for collection.
Prosecutors argued the teen posed a serious risk if released, noting that no parent was willing to vouch for him or guarantee his appearance in court.
“The facts of this crime, namely that the Defendant planned it, laid in wait to execute it, attempted to disguise the fact of the murder, and provided false information to his family,” the filing states.
The same filing asserts those actions demonstrate the defendant is a danger to the community and may attempt to flee if given the opportunity.
A judge agreed with prosecutors and ordered Jordan Weems held without bond.
He is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 24.
“This is just a terrible case,” OSBI spokesperson Hunter McKee remarked. “Nobody deserves to die as this woman did.”
The Oklahoma case comes as another high-profile homicide prosecution in the state recently ended with a life sentence.
In a separate matter, 56-year-old Tifany Machel Adams was sentenced to life without parole after being convicted in the deaths of two Kansas mothers.
Adams pleaded no contest to two counts of first-degree murder and additional charges connected to the 2024 killings of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39.
Court records show Butler and Kelley disappeared while traveling from Kansas to rural Oklahoma to pick up Butler’s children for a birthday celebration.
Their abandoned vehicle was later found near a rural highway, prompting a multi-week search that ended with the discovery of their bodies.
Prosecutors linked the killings to a custody dispute involving Butler and members of an anti-government group known as “God’s Misfits.”
Adams admitted no guilt under her plea but acknowledged prosecutors had sufficient evidence to convict her if the case went to trial.
Four additional defendants face charges in that case, with multiple trials and plea agreements still pending.
Adams’ sentence ensures she will spend the remainder of her life in prison.
