Man who lived with dead wife's body for a month said she had 'been gone a long time': DA

A Pennsylvania antheral is successful ineligible occupation aft constabulary said helium neglected to archer anyone that his woman had been dead for implicit a period and inactive successful his home.

Michael Mikula, 68, was charged with abuse of a corpse, neglecting the attraction of a babelike person, recklessly endangering different person, and tampering with grounds aft constabulary said they recovered the dormant assemblage of his wife, 66-year-old Sharlene Mikula, successful their location successful South Londonderry Township, Pennsylvania. According to a statement from the Lebanon County District Attorney obtained by section NBC affiliate WGAL, Michael Mikula "was alert of [his wife's] passing and had taken measures to conceal her passing."

The DA's bureau said Michael Mikula had lived with his wife's dormant assemblage "for astatine slightest 1 month" until she was discovered during a well-being cheque by constabulary connected April 14 that was requested by Sharlene Mikula's family. When officers arrived astatine the home, Michael Mikula allegedly told them his woman was not home. The officers were yet allowed inside, and arsenic they began to analyse the house, the DA said they recovered Sharlene Mikula deceased and "in a authorities of precocious decomposition."

According to a probable origin affidavit obtained by WGAL, Michael Mikula told detectives that his woman had "been gone for a agelong time." He stated that she had nary appetite successful the weeks starring up to her death, but tried to get her to devour 1 repast a day. One day, Michael Mikula allegedly told police, helium recovered his woman dead. He told detectives that she did not look decomposed until astir a week earlier the cops showed up astatine his house.

Sharlene Mikula's household told constabulary that she had suffered from respective intelligence wellness disorders and was hospitalized for 51 days astatine a behavioral wellness halfway successful May 2025. Police said the hospital's records of her wellness indicated that Sharlene Mikula mislaid much than 100 pounds implicit the people of a year.

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WGAL reported that the Mikulas' location was sold by the sheriff's bureau the aforesaid time Sharlene Mikula's assemblage was found. A neighbour told the outlet that the caller proprietor noticed a foul odor successful the house.

Michael Mikula was arrested and booked into the Lebanon County Correctional Facility. His preliminary proceeding is scheduled for April 23.