A North Carolina Man Told His Son There Was 'Trash' Under a Tarp in the Backyard. He Found a Body Instead

A North Carolina man has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison after being convicted of killing his 83-year-old father, hiding his body under a tarp in the backyard and attempting to evade law enforcement.

The case began on February 22, 2024, when Marshall Todd Anderson's son called 911 to report his grandfather, William Thomas Anderson Jr., missing, WECT reported.

Concerned about his grandfather's worsening dementia, the grandson had gone to check on him at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina. When he arrived, he found his father, Marshall Anderson, already at the house.

Marshall, who has a history of drug abuse and conflicts with his father, allegedly told his son that William had been there just moments earlier. However, when the grandson began searching the house and yard, Marshall specifically warned him not to touch a blue tarp in the backyard, allegedly claiming it was covering trash.

Suspicious, the grandson searched the neighborhood and eventually called 911.

When deputies arrived, they discovered William Anderson's body under the tarp. A medical examiner determined he had been dead for at least 12 hours and died from multiple blunt-force injuries.

Meanwhile, Marshall had reportedly fled the scene, asking a neighbor to drive him to Walmart when he saw patrol cars approaching. Authorities later found him walking near a Best Buy and arrested him.

During the sentencing, family members, including the grandson, spoke in court about the pain Marshall had caused. The district attorney emphasized the tragedy of the crime, particularly in light of Marshall's history of substance abuse and past conflicts with his father.

The court sentenced him to 216 to 272 months, or 18 to 22 years, in prison for the murder.