51-year-old Arizona man kept dead father in unplugged freezer in backyard

TEMPE, AZ – Authorities in Tempe arrested a man who allegedly concealed his father’s death for years, keeping the body in a freezer behind their residence. Joseph Daniel Hill Jr., 51, is accused of failing to report a death and concealing a dead body, according to the Tempe Police Department. Additional charges may follow as the cause of death investigation continues.

The disturbing case came to light last week after Tempe police received an anonymous tip about a body allegedly hidden at a Dorsey Lane residence in the city’s Optimist Park neighborhood. The large-scale investigation commenced promptly on October 22, the same day the tip was reported.

Police initially attempted to search the property with Hill’s permission, but he declined access. During their conversation, Hill mentioned his father had passed away several years ago but provided no further details. Armed with a search warrant later that day, officers returned and approached the situation more forcibly. Hill subsequently admitted to detectives, “There was going to be something in the freezer.”

Investigators uncovered skeletal remains within the unplugged freezer, which Hill identified as his deceased father. As of now, the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office has not officially verified the identity of the remains or determined the cause of death.

Court documents reveal Hill’s account of why he retained his father’s remains. He claimed his father passed away at their home over four years ago, and upon realizing he was not included on the property’s deed, he chose not to report the death. Fearing the loss of his home, Hill allegedly purchased a freezer the following day to prevent the body from decaying.

Initially, Hill intended to bury his father in Strawberry, a small community approximately 100 miles northeast of Tempe. After a fire at his second property thwarted this plan, the deceased continued to remain in the freezer at the family’s home in Tempe. Another fire struck the property in June 2023, disrupting power to the freezer and prompting Hill to attempt to transport the remains to the desert for burial. However, his plans were repeatedly interrupted due to the presence of nearby people.

For the last four to six months, the unplugged freezer reportedly sat in Hill’s backyard, left unchecked. Inside, investigators found various materials, including a tarp, blankets, and extensive biological remains.

Despite their efforts, law enforcement has found limited information about Joseph Hill Sr.’s circumstances. Notably, there is no death record, and records indicate he received Social Security benefits until March 2023, suggesting an oversight in detecting his prolonged absence.

The modest household, witnesses recount, was once a family home for Hill alongside his parents. Neighbors also recalled a recent fire, corroborating part of the timeline depicted by police.

Although Hill’s case is not yet present in Maricopa County’s public court system records, it continues to develop with further investigative efforts underway.