Manny Collins' father charged with murder; autopsy finds evidence of decapitation

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - The father of Manny Collins is now charged with murder after the teen's body was discovered at a landfill, following weeks of searching.

According to the criminal complaint, an autopsy found evidence that the teen was killed and decapitated.

Father charged

What we know:

Jordan Collins Sr., 38, made his first appearance in Anoka County Court on Wednesday in the death of his own son. Collins Sr. faces a charge of second-degree murder in the case.

The backstory:

The complaint states that, after the missing person report was made by Manny's mother, investigators searched the Collins home in Columbia Heights in May.

Speaking with police, the father said Manny had left the home on May 8, planning to take a bus to visit his grandmother and girlfriend in St. Paul. Manny never showed up at either location.

In the home, investigators found items stained with what appeared to be blood in garbage bags, butcher and hunting knives in a bedroom closet, and pieces of carpet and mattress were missing. After the search, authorities say Jordan Collins Sr. stopped speaking with police. DNA from the blood stains later matched Manny Collins' DNA.

As FOX 9 previously reported, surveillance video led investigators to search the landfill in Elk River. Manny Collins' body was discovered at the landfill weeks later. An autopsy later determined Collins died by homicide. The criminal complaint states that the autopsy "findings indicate evidence of decapitation."

What they're saying:

Speaking with police after his arrest, Jordan Collins Sr. claimed he had cut out sections of the mattress and carpet to clean up his own blood. He further claimed the knives found in the apartment were what he used to butcher goats and sheep. Police say none of the blood stains found in the apartment matched Jordan Collins Sr.'s DNA.

When he was arrested, police said he was carrying $1,300 in cash and investigators believe he was planning to leave the state.

What's next:

Jordan Collins Sr. is set to return to court next month. On Wednesday, prosecutors filed a notice they will seek a stiffer sentence against Collins, if he is convicted.

Collins is being held in Anoka County Jail on $2 million bail.

Search for Manny

Local perspective:

Authorities and volunteers searched for weeks in the hopes of bringing Manny Collins back home.

Sixteen-year-old Manny Collins was last seen alive on May 8 in the area of University Avenue and 48th Avenue Northeast in Columbia Heights. Collins had been living with his father in the area.

Manny's mother, Ashley Berry, said she last heard from her son in a text message on May 8. Berry said she would speak or text with Manny every day and quickly grew concerned when he stopped responding. She pressed Jordan Collins Sr. for answers but said he lied about where Manny was.

Timeline:

Here is a timeline of Collins' disappearance:

• May 8: Collins was last seen near the area of the 4900 block of University Avenue Northeast in Columbia Heights. Collins' mother reported she last heard from her son in a text at around 4 a.m.
• May 12: A missing persons report was filed.
• May 28: The Anoka County Sheriff's Office and Columbia Heights Police Department hold a joint news conference with Manny Collins family, begging for answers. Police said they feared Manny was being held against his will.
• May 29: Manny's uncle spoke with FOX 9 about his disappearance. Watch the interview here.
• June 2: Authorities provide an update about the investigation into Collins' disappearance, saying they have interviewed additional people and have followed up on leads, though details were vague.
• June 4: Authorities first started searching the Elk River landfill. Ashley Berry, the mother of Collins, sat down with FOX 9's Karen Scullin to make a plea for answers in his disappearance.
• June 5: The Anoka County Sheriff's Office asked residents in the area where he was last seen to check their property for any suspicious items. Residents and businesses in the area were also asked to check their security footage for any sightings of Collins, or anything that might be suspicious.
• June 6: Authorities search the Waste Management Landfill in Elk River in connection with Collins' disappearance.
• June 28: Human remains were recovered.
• June 30: DNA testing came back as a match for the missing 16-year-old.
• July 1: Law enforcement announced the death of Collins and provided an update on the investigation.
• July 7: The father of Manny Collins is arrested on probable cause murder.
• July 9: Formal charges are filed against Jordan Collins Sr.

Columbia HeightsMissing PersonsCrime and Public Safety