Houston Couple Discovers Burglary Suspect Trapped Inside Home Chimney After Holiday Disturbance

A Houston man was arrested for burglary after getting stuck in a couple’s chimney on Easter morning. Read about the dramatic rescue and charges.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 11, 2026, 10:05 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from People

A Midnight Discovery Prompted by Domestic Alarm

The quiet of a Houston residence was shattered during the early hours of Easter Sunday when a local couple’s pet alerted them to a security breach. At approximately 12:30 a.m., Joni Mitchell was awoken by her dog, Ellie, whose persistent barking signaled that something was amiss within the home. Upon investigation, Mitchell reported hearing distinct groaning sounds emanating from the fireplace. According to Joni Mitchell, the sounds were entirely unprecedented, creating a sense of confusion before the source of the noise was identified as a human voice trapped within the structural masonry.

From Wildlife Concerns to Criminal Intervention

Initial reactions to the disturbance favored a more natural explanation, with the homeowners assuming a stray animal had become entangled in the chimney. Curt Mitchell, the homeowner, noted that his first instinct was to suspect a raccoon had wandered into the ventilation system. However, the reality became clear when he opened the fireplace flue to find a man in a state of visible distress. The presence of an intruder within the narrow confines of the chimney necessitated an immediate call to emergency services, shifting the situation from a domestic nuisance to a police and rescue operation.

The Mechanical Extraction of a Trapped Suspect

Firefighting crews arrived on the scene and determined that the only way to safely remove the individual was through the partial destruction of the home’s interior. First responders were forced to knock down the fireplace wall to free the man, who was found pinned behind the front paneling of the structure. Curt Mitchell described the moment of extraction, noting that as the front of the fireplace fell away, the suspect’s face and shoulders became visible to the rescue team. The individual reportedly claimed to firefighters that his presence in the chimney was a desperate attempt to seek refuge while being pursued by unknown parties.