Trail of chicken bones leads to burglary suspect

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A trail of chicken bones left at a burglary scene has led investigators to a Kansas prison inmate with a long rap sheet and a hefty appetite.

Clay County authorities on Friday charged John Wyatt Weaver, 43, of Kansas City, with two counts of burglary and one count of stealing a firearm. No bond was set because Weaver is serving time at a Kansas prison.

Police tracked down the suspect through DNA left on six chicken bones strewn throughout a Gladstone apartment were several firearms were stolen in 2006.

"The facts of this are more amusing than anything I can say," said Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel White.

Court records show Weaver is accused of entering two Gladstone homes Nov. 23, 2006. At one of the crime scenes, the homeowner reported several shotguns, rifles and handguns missing.

Investigators at the scene found chewed-up chicken scattered around the residence -- leftovers authorities believe were stolen from a refrigerator at the earlier burglary.

The Kansas City crime lab examined the bones for DNA evidence, which was entered into a national database. White said the DNA matched that of Weaver, a convicted felon whose DNA had been entered into the database.

Weaver has been arrested on 33 felony charges and has 16 felony convictions for second-degree burglary, stealing, tampering, receiving stolen property, automobile theft and resisting arrest.