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Emory is about 60 miles east of Dallas in Rains County.

DIGGING UP THE PAST

Craig Civale reports

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DALLAS — Seven years after a North Texas father died, authorities exhumed his body Tuesday in an effort to find the truth behind his death.

The new quest for answers began at Troy Case's unmarked grave in Emory Cemetery. The Rains County man's grave was dug up and his body taken to Dallas to be examined.

"It's upsetting to have to go through the emotions again of him," said Robert Case, Troy's brother. "We thought we had closure. He was buried and now it's opened up a whole new can of worms."

Case died in February 2002 inside his home. While it was originally ruled a natural death, a justice of the peace said he had an abnormal heart and high blood pressure.

"It's probably a difficult investigation because we don't have any fresh evidence, don't have a crime scene," said Chief Bruce Feagin, Emory Police Department. "We base most of our information off what the ME can provide."

An autopsy was not ordered seven years ago. Police said the justice of peace accepted the feelings of his wife, who said he had issues with his heart.

"That's a decision that the JP made seven years ago," Feagin said. "In his opinion, based on the info provided to him at the scene, an autopsy wasn't necessary."

Case's family never questioned the decision.

"There was no reason to suspect anything else that I could come up with," Case said.

But now his son, who was ten years old at the time of his father's death, has brought forward allegations of murder. The son told authorities he has known his stepmother killed his father and was silent because she threatened him.

"It's my hope that we determine that he died of natural causes," Feagin said. "But I think I owe it to the family to investigate it so we know one way or another."

News 8 is not releasing the name of Case's widow since no charges have been made. Investigators have confirmed that she has been interviewed about the allegations and remains a person of interest.

The autopsy results are expected to take up to two months.

E-mail ccivale@wfaa.com