According to police, a man in northwest Georgia murdered his grandma by stuffing her in a freezer while she was still alive.
Doris Cumming, 82, was discovered dead late Thursday in the Armuchee house she resided in with her grandson, 29-year-old Robert Keith Tincher III.
Tincher was charged with murder, aggravated battery, and concealing someone else’s death. He is still jailed in Rome. It’s unknown whether he has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf.
According to police, Cumming’s family thought she had moved out of state, but after not having heard from her, they became concerned and reported her missing.
Authorities suspect Cumming was injured in a fall in December and that Tincher dragged her through her house instead of getting her medical treatment.
According to the charges, Tincher “heard and saw numerous bones break.” Tincher then wrapped her in plastic bags and placed her in a large freezer, according to the charges, and Tincher “acknowledged her back broke going into the freezer.” According to the charges, there was “no altercation or provocation” prior to the acts.
“From what we determined, at the time, he believed she was still breathing and had some movement at the time she was going into the freezer,” said Floyd County Investigator Brittany Werner told WAGA-TV.
Tincher lived in the house for months with the body inside the freezer, but decided to move it to a storage unit in March, fearing Cumming’s body would be discovered.
Werner said Tincher admitted to police he didn’t call 911 because he was wanted for questioning in connection with terroristic threats made against his wife in 2018.
Tincher also expressed his love and respect for his grandmother to investigators.
“He said she was the only family member that gave him the courtesy and love and attention he needed,” said Werner.
Cumming’s death is being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause and time of death.
