San Antonio, Texas – A man in Texas has been arrested after police discovered the remains of his mother in a storage unit. Rogelio Bernal, 53, had reportedly kept his mother’s dead body inside their shared apartment before relocating her remains to the unit over a year later.
Due to nonpayment, the unit was put up for auction, where the winning bidder got more than he bargained for. The individual who took possession of the unit contacted the police after finding human remains inside a trash can stored there. In response to a call, the San Antonio Police Department started to investigate the locker at the Public Storage facility located at 4714 Vance Jackson Road. According to San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT, Bernal was identified as the previous renter of the storage unit, which had been put up for auction.
Bernal was taken into custody on an unrelated warrant for drug charges on December 22. While in custody, he admitted to the police that the remains were those of his mother. Bernal claimed to have been her caregiver while they resided in the apartment and alleged that she had passed away several years ago.
During an interview, Bernal revealed that he heard his mother fall in the bathroom on October 31, 2021. However, due to his criminal record, he chose not to contact the authorities. Following her death, Bernal allegedly placed his mother’s body in a hall closet, where he covered it in lye and cleaning supplies for over a year. The apartment reportedly developed a gnat problem, leading to Bernal’s eviction in October 2022. He subsequently obtained the storage unit and stowed his mother’s remains in a trash can.
According to the affidavit, the district manager of the storage facility eventually provided police with Bernal’s name as the previous owner of the storage unit. Police also discovered that Bernal had a warrant out for his arrest for a drunken driving offense.
Bernal has now been charged with altering, destroying, or concealing a human corpse. His bail has been set at $75,000. Bernal remains at the Bexar County jail awaiting indictment.