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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Two teenagers have been arrested in a homicide investigation which started in May.

The Chilton County Sheriff’s Office announced on July 26 that two juvenile suspects had been arrested in connection to the homicide investigation of the death of 71-year-old Thomas Lee Creel of Jemison.

The suspects are being charged with murder and burglary first degree.

CCSO does not release the names of juvenile suspects.

This investigation began on May 5 in response to finding “what appeared to be a hand dug grave containing a body” on Alabama Highway 145, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Investigators processed that scene and recovered the partially decomposed body of what appeared to be an adult white male,” according to a CCSO press release. “The body was transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and the manner of death was determined to be Homicide. Since May 05, 2022, Investigators from the Special Operations Division have continued to gather evidence, conduct interviews, and follow up on multiple leads.  As a result of that investigation, the victim in this case has been identified.”

The CCSO release stated, “These arrests are the result of hundreds of hours of teamwork and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies.”

Jemison Police Department, the Clanton Police Department, the Chilton County Coroner’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office and Forensic and Scientific Testing Inc. in Thorsby also assisted in the investigation.

The investigation is ongoing.

Those with information regarding the case are encouraged to contact Sgt. Jennifer Bland at 205-755-4698 or jennifer.bland@chiltoncountyso.org.

Anonymous tips can be made at chiltoncountyso.org or through the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office app.