Alabama Man Wanted For Hiding Corpse Captured In Ohio

CLEVELAND — A man wanted in connection with the disappearance of an Alabama woman was captured in Garfield Heights on Wednesday night. Fredrick Hampton, who is charged with abuse of a corpse, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals, according to the U.S. Marshal's office.

Paighton Houston, 27, disappeared on Dec. 20. She was last seen alive leaving a bar with two unidentified men. She was later found buried in a shallow grave next to an abandoned home in the Alabama city of Hueytown. An autopsy could not determine the cause of death, but toxicology examinations revealed Houston died from an accidental drug overdose.

A report by WOIO in Cleveland said Hampton was arrested at the home of a family member in Garfield Heights. The report said marshals had to force their way into the home to make the arrest.

Alabama law enforcement said Hampton knew the area in which Houston's body was found, and that the property where Houston was found was owned by a relative of Hampton's.

Hampton is being held in Cuyahoga County Jail awaiting transfer to Jefferson County.

Alabama U.S. Attorney Jay Town praised the joint efforts of the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force. "Our thanks to the USMS in Cleveland and the leadership of (U.S. Attorney) Justin Herdman for the partnership that has proven time and again to yield positive results," Town said in a statement.