A Pennsylvania man who reported his wife missing in April has been charged with killing her — and burying her body underneath their home, police said.
James Dwayne Kline, 48, was charged Wednesday with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, strangulation and other related counts in the death of 46-year-old Cora Kline after being questioned by state police, the Tribune-Democrat reports.
Kline reported his wife missing in early April. Trooper Cliff Greenfield told reporters during a press conference earlier Wednesday that investigators got a tip that they should inspect the couple’s Paint Township mobile home a bit more closely, leading to a search warrant that brought police to a suspected burial site beneath the residence on Tuesday.
“We believe Mr. Kline strangled his wife to death and buried her under the building,” Greenfield said. “He then reported her to us as missing, so he misled us.”
Kline’s body was found after firefighters cut through sections of aluminum siding to reach the burial site, Greenfield said.
Tattoos were used to positively identify the woman, but investigators declined to indicate exactly what prompted them to return to the couple’s home, WPXI reports.
Kline was expected to be arraigned late Wednesday, but he was taken to a hospital after having a medical episode, the Tribune-Democrat reports.