ARMUCHEE, Georgia — Police say a northwest Georgia man killed his grandmother by putting her in a freezer while she was alive.
Floyd County Police discovered the body of Doris Cumming, 82, late Thursday at the Armuchee home she shared with her grandson, 29-year-old Robert Keith Tincher III.
Tincher was charged with murder, assault and covering up the death of another. He remains imprisoned in Rome. It’s unclear if he has an attorney who could speak for him.
Police said Cummings’ family believed she had moved out of state but became concerned after not hearing from her and reported that she may be missing.
Police said they believe Cumming was injured in a fall in December and that instead of getting her medical attention, Tincher dragged her around her home. Criminal charges say Tincher “heard and saw numerous bones break.” He then wrapped them in plastic bags and put them in a large freezer, with the indictment saying Tincher “admitted that her back was broken going into the freezer.” The indictment states that there was “no altercation or provocation” prior to the crimes.
“From what we determined at the time, he believed she was still breathing and moving slightly when she went into the freezer,” Floyd County Investigator Brittany Werner told WAGA-TV.
Tincher lived in the home with the body in the freezer for months, but moved it to a storage unit in March over fears Cummings’ body might be found.
Werner said Tincher told police he did not call 911 because he was wanted for arrest over terrorist threats against his wife in 2018.
Tincher also told investigators how much he loved his grandmother.
“He said she was the only family member who gave him the courtesy, love and attention he needed,” Werner said.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is conducting an autopsy to determine Cummings’ cause and time of death.
