LINDALE - The body of Ken Adkins was never found and his family wanted answers, still. They're left to wait for closure. Ken Adkins' son Kendrick said the time spent without his father has been troubling.
"Not having our father here is hard," Kendrick said. "It's real hard on us."
Adkins' cousin Llewellyn Adkins stood in front of a judge and pleaded guilty to the murder of family member. He was sentenced 40 years behind bars. What may seem like justice to some, it's not entirely to Kendrick Adkins' mother Dorothy Jones. She wanted Llewellyn to have a jury trial instead of a plea deal.
"He ain't tell me where my son body is, I know more could've came out of it," Jones said.
Upshur county district attorney Billy Byrd declined to go on camera but told CBS 19 off camera that Llewellyn wrote a letter confessing to killing his cousin. He didn't give details to what was written in the letter.
Byrd said burned human remains were found behind Llewellyn's home. After a series of test, the attorney said it was not possible to identify the remains. However, he believes it was Kendrick.
Llewellyn never explained what happened that led to Kendrick's murder. Dorothy Jones wanted the details.
"I waited so long to think I was gonna have an answer to where my son was and that's the whole bottom thing," Jones said.
Jones said she still loves Llewellyn and forgave him. D.A. Byrd said Llewellyn will have a chance to get parole after he serves 20 years.