Wednesday, Dustin Ray Bolen, of McGuffey, pleaded guilty to charges related to the death of his father, Michael Bolen.
Dustin has been charged with murder, gross abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence.
His sentencing is scheduled for April 2nd at 9:00 AM in Hardin County Common Pleas Court.
Michael Bolen was reported missing by a family member on March 31, 2024, sparking an investigation by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office.
Over the following months, investigators interviewed family members and community residents and conducted multiple searches in the McGuffey area.
Despite these efforts, Michael was not located, and Dustin became a person of interest in the case.
Dustin was arrested on April 5, 2024, for violating a “no contact” court order stemming from a prior domestic violence case involving Michael.
In November of 2024, Dustin was indicted on several charges, including murder and abuse of a corpse.
He was transferred to jail after his arrest.
In December 2024, Dustin Bolen confessed to family members that he had killed his father and concealed his body in the crawl space of their home.
A search warrant was executed on December 17, 2024, and Michael’s remains were found in a section of the crawl space, which had been altered to hide the body.
The remains were later identified through an autopsy.
The investigation was supported by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Hardin County Crime Task Force, and the FBI.
The Hardin County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to the community for their support during the investigation.
