TEEN TOLD AUTHORITIES HE KILLED HIS GRANDMOTHER, AFFIDAVIT SAYS

JACKSON, Mo. -- Prior to his first appearance as an adult in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court, 16-year-old Joshua Wolf confessed to shooting his grandmother in the head and then attempting to burn her body and house by using gasoline, court records say

In a probable-cause affidavit filed by Lt. David James of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department, James wrote that during an interrogation with juvenile officers and a guardian present Wolf confessed to killing 56-year-old Carol Lindley.

Wolf, who moved to Cape Girardeau County from Columbus, Ohio, with his grandmother in late April, is scheduled to appear in court today before Judge Scott Thomsen.

On Friday, Thomsen certified Wolf into court as an adult to face charges of first-degree murder, second-degree arson and armed criminal action.

In the affidavit, James wrote that when Lindley's body was discovered May 8, gasoline had been poured on her and the floors throughout the house, causing extensive damage. Large amounts of blood were present on the floor and a chair in the living room at 175 Paiute Lane.

While Wolf suffered no injuries, Lindley was bleeding from her nose and mouth, which James said were indications that she was bleeding prior to the fire.

Lindley's body was found as firefighters responded to a report of the house fire.

Only Lindley and Wolf were present at the time of the fire, James wrote in the affidavit.

A gasoline can was found near the body, James says.

Investigations also showed that Wolf withdrew $400 from Lindley's checking account with an ATM card on May 7, which the affidavit says occurred after Lindley's death.

The affidavit states that the "supposed murder weapon" was found in the house. A copy of charges filed against Wolf by Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle alleges that Lindley was killed by a bullet from a rifle.

On Monday, James said that some parts of the investigation are still ongoing. Computer equipment recovered from the house was damaged by fire, but it was turned over to the FBI to recover any available information. It is possible that journal notations or other information on the computer will give more details about Lindley's death, said James, who leads the Southeast Missouri Major Case Squad.

"You can only gather so much evidence at the scene of a crime," he said.

Divers from the Missouri Highway Patrol searched ponds in the area for computer parts based on information received by investigators. No computer equipment has yet been found, James said.

Wolf remains incarcerated in lieu of a $500,000 bond.