Tulsa County Jury Finds Man Guilty Of Murdering Stepson Despite No Remains Found

A Tulsa County jury has found John Miles guilty of abusing, torturing, and murdering his 11-year-old stepson, Orlando Hugger Jr., though the boy’s remains have never been recovered.

Prosecutors said Miles beat Hugger to death, buried him, then later dug up and burned the boy’s body in a trash can. Hugger’s mother, Camille Lewis, also charged in the case, testified against Miles.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning a guilty verdict on all charges, including murder, child abuse, and child sexual abuse. Miles showed no reaction to the verdict. The jury is now deliberating his sentence.

Prosecutors described the home where Hugger and his sister lived as a “house of horror,” alleging that the children were locked in a closet for up to five months before Hugger was killed.

Miles and Lewis reportedly told people Hugger had run away, but he wasn’t reported missing until more than a year after he was last seen.

Investigators say Miles and Lewis punished the children by confining them in separate closets, depriving them of regular bathroom breaks, showers, and food.

Lewis testified that Miles ordered her to beat the children. She also admitted to helping dig up her son’s body, burn it in a metal trash can, and dispose of his ashes in the sewer.

Miles’ attorney questioned the credibility of the evidence, repeatedly asking, “Where’s the evidence of the crimes?” He argued that no body has been found and insisted that there’s no proof Hugger was murdered or that Miles was responsible.

During the trial, Miles’ attorney also called Lewis a liar and a sociopath.

When asked if Lewis received a deal in exchange for her testimony, she testified that she had not and that she wanted to tell the truth. Lewis’s trial is expected sometime next year.