Wife 'pretended to take care' of decomposing body of husband's brother for 6 months so they could cash Social Security checks: Police

A Pennsylvania mates was charged astir a twelvemonth aft constabulary discovered the decomposing body of their comparative successful their home.

James Bebout, 69, and Debbie Bebout, 64, were charged with theft, conspiracy, and maltreatment of a corpse aft constabulary said they lived with the dormant assemblage of James Bebout's brother, 64-year-old Michael Bebout, for six months without reporting his death. The gruesome find was archetypal reported successful January, erstwhile James Bebout told constabulary that helium recovered his member "stiff arsenic a board" erstwhile helium brought him breakfast.

According to a transgression ailment obtained by section NBC affiliate WPXI, erstwhile constabulary saw the assemblage of Michael Bebout, they allegedly recovered nothing but his skeletal remains lying successful a bed.

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Greene Washington Regional Police Chief Will DeForte described the Bebouts' location to WPXI arsenic a "house of horror," saying, "In my 35 years of instrumentality enforcement, this was astir apt 1 of the astir atrocious and horrific conditions we've ever recovered a decedent." At the time the assemblage was discovered, DeForte told WPXI, "There was wall-to-wall canine feces. The concern looked similar a hoarder had lived there, precise hard to traverse done the residence, and the odor was extraordinarily unpleasant."

Police said they believed Michael Bebout died astatine slightest six months earlier his assemblage was found. Before that, helium was surviving with his member and sister-in-law. DeForte said that it was apt that Michael Bebout died of earthy causes during the summertime of 2024. Eleven months later, constabulary said the Bebouts were cashing successful Michael Bebout's Social Security checks portion helium decomposed successful their home.

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DeForte told WPXI the Bebouts had deposited astir $20,000 into their slope accounts, each funds that were intended for Michael Bebout. Lt. Nathan Ferree told section ABC affiliate WTAE that Debbie Bebout "actually pretended to instrumentality attraction of him portion the member didn't cognize it for a while."

Arrest warrants were issued for the Bebouts, who are believed to beryllium successful Pennsylvania's Washington County. They some look charges of theft, conspiracy, and maltreatment of a corpse. Police bash not fishy foul play successful transportation with Michael Bebout's death.