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Arrest citation released in trash can murder

Son accused of killing mother, stuffing body in trash appears in court

Investigators say 27-year-old Mark Cave told them he intentionally killed a woman and stuffed her body a trash bin, according to an arrest citation obtained by WKYT.

On Friday, Cave appeared in court for the first time on the murder charge as the Fayette County coroner identified the woman found as 54-year-old Sharon Cave-Howard, Cave's own mother.

Lexington Police say Cave said the murder happened in June 2011. His mother's body was found Wednesday by investigators in an area near Fortune Drive as they were following up on a missing persons report from December.

Jail records show Cave had been in jail since January 2 on unrelated charges.

He was arraigned on the murder charge involving his mother's death Friday afternoon. Cave's attorney Brad Clark entered an automatic not guilty plea on Cave's behalf.

"What I can say is, you can mark my words on this, that when the facts and circumstances surrounding this case are unveiled to everyone, I think were all going to be amazed by this story," said Clark, a public defender.

Clark says there's a lot that hasn't come out yet regarding the case.

The coroner said Friday afternoon, Cave-Howard died of blunt force trauma to the head.

Cave's sister spoke to WKYT's Andy Cunningham by phone saying the family was in mourning and didn't wish to make any further statement about the case.