Inset: Jonathan Houston (Callaway County Sheriff's Office). Background: The Baymont Inn and Suites in Kingdom City, Mo. (Google Maps).
A Missouri man is behind bars after allegedly employing his children to help torture his wife before he killed her, Show-Me State authorities say.
Jonathan Houston, 44, stands accused of one count each of first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the death of the victim, whose name is not yet a matter of public record.
The underlying incident occurred "approximately 10 months" before at the Baymont Inn and Suites on Jade Road in Kingdom City, a tiny village some 30 miles due east of Columbia, according to a press release issued by the Callaway County Sheriff's Office.
Late in the morning on Sunday, Oct. 4, a child placed a 911 call and whispered that they needed help, according to a probable cause statement obtained by Law&Crime. The child went on to tell the dispatcher their father had "captured" them and their siblings and had been beating the children for the past five years.
Deputies identified the cellphone used in the 911 call as belonging to the defendant and traced the call back to the hotel, where Houston was found living with his seven children, authorities say.
After arriving, investigators began speaking with Houston and advised him about the 911 call, the sheriff's office said. While speaking with the children, one girl "made a hand signal to" a deputy "behind Houston's back" and the two went off to speak together privately.
In another room, the girl told the deputy Houston "killed her mother" by strangling her in "late 2025," according to the charging document. Then, the children were taken in for in-depth interviews.
Another girl said her mother was killed one day after their father "told her that he had a plan to kill" the victim, law enforcement says.
The other daughter relayed the alleged torture.
"[The other daughter] stated she witnessed Houston kill [the mother], by strangulation, and stated Houston got on top of [the mother] and strangled her with his hands on her neck," the probable cause statement reads. "[The daughter] stated that Houston yelled at her to pour hot water on [the mother's] legs while she was being strangled."
The girl said the strangulation lasted roughly five minutes before her mother's arm stopped moving. After that, Houston put the victim's body "into the fetal position and wrapped her with exercise bands and put her in a big trash bag," according to the charging document.
The defendant then took the concealed corpse into the hallway and disposed of her in the hotel dumpster, the girl told investigators.
The father, for his part, allegedly confirmed the girl's version of events.
"Houston stated that everything his children had said was true," the probable cause statement reads. "Houston admitted to telling the children during the night prior that he was going to kill [his wife]."
The defendant described the killing, the sheriff's office claims.
After making sure the three youngest children were in the bathroom, Houston got on top of his wife on the bed and she wrapped her arms around him "like they were hugging" before he put his hands around her neck "until her body went limp," the charging document says.
He also allegedly offered details of the torture.
"Houston instructed [one child] to put his hands over [his wife's] mouth while [another child] was instructed to pour hot water on [his wife's] legs," the probable cause statement goes on. "Houston stated he told the children in the room to turn on music (KPop demon hunter song) and play it loud so no one could hear [his wife] screaming."
The defendant then, in terms substantially similar to his daughter's, described how he disposed of his wife's body in the hotel dumpster, the sheriff's office says. The man added one detail: He used a dolly to transport the corpse from the hallway to the industrial trash bin.
"Houston stated [his wife] attempted to leave the room on more than one account, and he stopped her from leaving the room," the charging document reads.
As for a motive, investigators believe the defendant killed his wife of 17 years "because he was worried that he was going to lose his kids."
"Houston orchestrated his children to assist in a premeditated homicide," the probable cause statement reads. "Houston showed no remorse in admitting to murdering [his wife]."
The charging documents say Houston previously worked as a probation and parole officer — and as a state corrections officer. The defendant is also "under investigation for sexual assault and assault of other victims," according to the sheriff's office.
Houston is being detained in the Callaway County Jail with no bond.