The father of a missing Columbia Heights teenager has been charged with second-degree murder after his son’s remains were found in an Elk River landfill following a weeks-long search.
Jordan Dupree Collins Sr., 38, was formally charged Wednesday in Anoka County District Court in connection with the death of 16-year-old Jordan “Manny” Collins Jr.
Collins Jr. was reported missing on May 12, 2025, four days after his mother last heard from him when he responded to a text message around 4 a.m. on May 8. The teenager had been living with his father in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, since mid-April to receive help with math homework.
According to the criminal complaint, Collins Sr. initially told both the boy’s mother and law enforcement that his son had left their apartment on May 8 during the afternoon hours to visit his grandmother and girlfriend in St. Paul. However, Collins Jr. never arrived at either location. The teenager’s girlfriend told investigators she last spoke with him via video call around 2:30 a.m. on May 8, and he did not appear upset or mention plans to visit her.
Investigators obtained surveillance video showing a garbage truck emptying the dumpster behind Collins Sr.’s apartment building on May 13. Authorities traced the contents to a landfill in Elk River, Minnesota, where a large-scale search began on June 4. Collins Jr.’s remains were discovered on June 28.
Law enforcement searched Collins Sr.’s apartment on May 15, discovering bloodstained items in garbage bags within a living room closet. DNA testing confirmed the blood matched Collins Jr. Additional blood found on the bedroom wall also belonged to the teenager. Investigators also found several butcher and hunting-style knives in a bedroom closet, which Collins Sr. later claimed he used to butcher goats and sheep.
Evidence showed pieces of a mattress and carpet had been removed from the apartment. When questioned, Collins Sr. told authorities he removed these items while cleaning up his own blood, but investigators found no traces of the father’s blood inside the residence.
Phone records revealed Collins Jr.’s device was shut off just after 5:30 a.m. on May 8 but was briefly turned on at 2:25 p.m. on May 11. The phone’s location data showed it was at Collins Sr.’s apartment during that time, with the father’s phone also present at the same location.
During a June 20 interview with police, Collins Sr. changed his story, stating he last saw his son on May 10 rather than May 8. He claimed he tried calling his son multiple times after not hearing from him, but phone records showed Collins Sr. called his son’s phone only once on May 13, the day after police first contacted him about the missing person report. That call lasted approximately 20 seconds.
Collins Sr. was arrested on Monday, July 8, less than a week after his son’s remains were found. When searched, police discovered multiple knives, including a curved knife with a leather sheath, and approximately $1,300 in cash. Prosecutors indicated Collins Sr. was planning to leave Minnesota.
The preliminary autopsy findings revealed evidence of decapitation by knife, with the death classified as a homicide. The criminal complaint does not specify a motive for the killing. Collins Sr. appeared in court Wednesday, where Judge Jenny Walker Jasper set bail at $2 million with conditions or $3 million without conditions. The conditions include surrendering his passport, possessing no weapons, and remaining in Minnesota.
Prosecutor Jasmin Quiggle argued for the high bail amount, describing Collins Sr. as an incredible risk to public safety and a flight risk due to his transient lifestyle. Defense attorney Kayla McKeeth indicated her client wished to exercise his right to a speedy trial. A tentative trial date was set for August 4.
Collins Jr.’s great-grandmother, Mary Berry, told investigators that Collins Sr. had contacted her around Mother’s Day, claiming the teenager was on his way to her house. When Collins Jr. never arrived, and she called Collins Sr. to inquire, he stopped taking her calls. Berry expressed her desire for justice, stating Collins Sr. “used to be a good man, many years ago,” but she hopes he is never released from prison.
The teenager’s mother, Ashley Berry, described her son as a good kid with a good soul who uplifted people. Collins Jr. attended St. Paul Public Schools online, enjoyed basketball and skateboarding, and worked at a gym. She said Collins Sr. had recently re-entered his son’s life after a rocky period to help with academic support.
Anoka County Attorney Brad Johnson acknowledged in a statement that the criminal complaint contains heart-wrenching details for the victim’s loved ones and the community. The case has drawn significant attention, with family members and community supporters filling the courtroom gallery during Collins Sr.’s initial appearance. Some relatives were heard calling Collins Sr. a coward while leaving the courthouse in an elevator.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies and required nearly four weeks of searching through the Waste Management landfill in Elk River. Authorities estimate Collins Jr. died between May 8 and May 13, with investigators believing he was killed around Mother’s Day.