Rogelio Bernal: Texas man nabbed on drug charges confesses to hiding mother's remains in trash can for 2 years

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

SAN ANTONIA, TEXAS: A man has been taken into custody following the discovery of his mother's remains inside a trash can in a storage unit he previously owned, according to an arrest affidavit.

Rogelio Bernal, 53, was arrested on Friday, December 22, on drug charges, Law and Crime reported citing court records.

Shortly following Bernal's arrest, a caller alerted the police upon discovering human remains in the storage unit where Bernal had resided.

This prompted investigators to intensify their inquiry into Bernal, as per KSAT.

Police finds deceased body in storage unit

Police responded to a storage facility on the North Side in the 4700 block of Vance Jackson Road on Thursday.

This comes after authorities received a call from an unidentified person who reported the discovery of human remains inside a trash can within a storage unit, obtained through an auction.

The property manager provided information about the former renter, identified as Bernal, who was found to have an active warrant over. 

On December 22, police were informed that Bernal had been arrested on the warrant.

Following discussions with authorities, Bernal purportedly acknowledged that the remains belonged to his deceased mother. He informed the police that he had been the caregiver for his mother at the apartment they shared.

What happened to Bernal’s mother?

According to the affidavit, on or around October 31, 2021, Bernal was cooking while his mother showered.

Upon hearing her fall, he discovered her still breathing on the bathroom floor. Despite this, Bernal did not call 911 due to his criminal record.

The mother died after the fall, and Bernal admitted to placing her body inside a hall closet at the apartment.

Over the course of more than a year, he allegedly covered her remains in lye and cleaning supplies, leading to a gnat problem in the apartment.

The affidavit reveals that Bernal was evicted from the apartment in October 2022.

Subsequently, he obtained a storage unit where he relocated various items, eventually placing his mother's remains inside a trash can.

Bernal is currently held in the Bexar County Jail, facing charges of altering, destroying, or concealing a human corpse. Court records indicate that his bond is set at $75,000.