FAIRDALE, W.Va. — A man is being charged following the death of 41-year-old Crystal Collins who had been reported missing in Raleigh County since March.
Raleigh County deputies are accusing 34-year-old Timmy Lee Powers of Fairdale of burying her body in a closet, according to court records.
The State Medical Examiner’s Office identified the body sheriffs recovered from a Fairdale home as Collins.
Collins was reported missing by a family member on March 23 after the relative told deputies they had last heard from Collins in February.
Powers told deputies during the investigation that he had last seen Collins in February passed out in the bedroom of an abandoned home in Fairdale.
After conducting a search warrant at the residence that same day, which is next door to Powers’ home on Locust Street, they recovered the body later identified as Collins buried under sheetrock and tires in a back bedroom closet.
Four days later during an interview, investigators said Powers had told them someone had informed him about the passed out woman at the next door residence and said she wasn’t waking up.
Powers told them he had attempted to perform lifesaving measures, but was unsuccessful. Powers admitted to getting a Christmas tree bag and sleeping bag that he and two others placed the body in “to keep her warm.”
They are accused of burying the body under the sheetrock and tires in the closet.
According to the complaint, Powers told deputies he didn’t report the body because he was scared and was also wanted by law enforcement.
Powers has been charged with Concealment of a human body, animal cruelty and a warrant out of Fayette County.
The cause of Collins death has not been released. Currently, no other arrests have been made.