An Alabama man, John Wesley Collum, has been charged with capital murder-for-hire in connection with the gruesome killing of Oscar De Santiago Soto. Court records reveal that the 57-year-old Collum, along with two unknown accomplices, allegedly murdered the 36-year-old victim earlier this year. The chilling details of the crime include setting Soto’s body and his pickup truck on fire before burying them together with the use of a backhoe.

Prosecutors in Bibb County have accused Collum of being hired to participate in this horrific crime. He is alleged to have played a significant role in the murder and subsequent destruction of evidence, as outlined in the charging documents shared by local NBC affiliate WVTM.

According to these documents, Collum and his accomplices placed Soto’s body in a hole alongside his truck, set them ablaze, and buried them using heavy machinery. The grim narrative paints a disturbing picture of a premeditated and brutal act.

The official documentation states, “John Wesley Collum did intentionally cause the death of [Soto]” and further accuses him of knowingly and willfully desecrating Soto’s remains.

“John Wesley Collum … did intentionally cause the death of [Soto],” the documents say. “[Collum] did knowingly and willfully abuse the corpse of [Soto].”

Prosecutors have told reporters that at least one other suspect has been taken into custody, but it’s unclear if he’s been formally charged yet.

Collum was indicted for capital murder for pecuniary gain, hindering prosecution, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence. He is accused of killing Soto for an undisclosed amount of money and attempting to destroy evidence, according to the local Tuscaloosa Thread news outlet.

Police say Soto was driving a 1998 Ford Ranger pickup truck when he went missing on June 18. Photos of him and the truck were released to the public earlier this year and Montevallo cops probed his disappearance with help from the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation and federal authorities.

Soto’s remains were found within a mile of where his vehicle was last seen in an area on the 2000 block of Randolph Road. Prosecutors say Collum allegedly buried and set his body on fire sometime between June 18 and June 27.

Collum was locked up in the Bibb County Jail with no bond set. His trial is scheduled to take place in September 2026. He has pleaded not guilty.