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Joseph Taylor (Butte County District Attorney”s Office).
In a chilling discovery, a California man’s property has become the center of a grisly investigation, resulting in his arrest after authorities uncovered a burned human skull and other remains. This unsettling find has led to the arrest of 52-year-old Joseph Dexter Taylor, who now faces multiple charges, including murder, illegal firearm possession, carrying a concealed weapon, and arson, as reported by the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.
The tragic events unfolded at a residence on Ricky Road in the quiet, rural area of Hurleton, located east of Oroville. This small city lies approximately 70 miles north of Sacramento. The victim, believed to be 33-year-old Chris Kidwell, lost his life under these disturbing circumstances.
The breakthrough in the case came on March 21, when two individuals dialed 911, alarmed by what they suspected were human remains—specifically a skull—found at the aforementioned residence. This prompted an investigation, as detailed in a press release from the Butte County District Attorney’s Office.
According to the release, an unsettling visit occurred early on March 20, when Taylor showed up at their home, agitated and speaking erratically about a cremation. The visitors also noticed that Taylor bore burn marks on his legs, a detail that now holds significant weight in the ongoing investigation.
“The two men said Taylor arrived at their home in the early morning hours of March 20, appearing agitated and talking about a cremation,” the press release reads. “They noted that Taylor had burn marks on his legs.”
The defendant was charged later that same day, according to the sheriff’s office.
Evidence from the ensuing investigation led law enforcement to believe the remains belonged to Kidwell, a man who had been living on Taylor’s property since sometime in late 2025, according to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey.
A confirmation of the identification is forthcoming, authorities said, pending a DNA analysis. Kidwell’s family previously contacted the sheriff’s office on March 20, after unsuccessfully attempting to contact him for about a week, according to the DA’s office.
“Evidence from the investigation indicates Kidwell was shot before Taylor burned his body,” the DA’s press release goes on.
The sheriff’s office took stock of the investigation in their own press release, relaying the order of events after the 911 call.
“Deputies responded to the location and confirmed the presence of the remains,” the press release reads. “Detectives obtained a search warrant for two parcels on Ricky Road and recovered the human remains along with additional evidence related to the investigation.”
The sheriff’s office goes on to say their investigation was “extensive” and uncovered evidence “leading them to believe” the defendant was responsible for the victim’s murder.
“Taylor was already in custody at the Butte County Jail on an unrelated felony arrest warrant,” the sheriff’s office press release goes on. The DA’s office said that prior warrant was related to a firearm offense.
The investigation is said to be ongoing.
The defendant is currently being detained on a no-bail hold and also has pending arson cases in Lake County, the DA’s office said.
Taylor appeared in court on March 26, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is next slated to appear in court on April 2.