Pennsylvania couple accused of living with dead relative for months to cash his Social Security checks
A Pennsylvania couple is accused of living with their dead relative for months to reap the benefits of his Social Security checks.
The Greene Washington Regional Police Department said they're actively searching for James and Debbie Bebout of Canton Township. Police Chief William DeForte said there are arrest warrants out for the couple in the death of James Bebout's brother, Michael Bebout.
Police paperwork details allegations
According to police paperwork, authorities received a call on Jan. 16 from James Bebout, who said he went to serve his brother breakfast when he found him "stiff as a board." When officers arrived at the home on Hayes Avenue for a welfare check, DeForte said several red flags were raised.
"Instead of finding the decedent that would have passed away within the last 24 hours, we found the decedent in a state of severe decomposition," DeForte said.
DeForte said an investigation revealed Michael Bebout had been dead for about six months.
"You have two defendants that we believe knew the decedent had passed that were more interested in reaping the benefits of a governmental check and access to a warm home than they were providing some type of moral and ethical solution to their relative passing," DeForte said.
During an interview with Debbie Bebout, investigators said she allegedly admitted to knowing Michael Bebout had been dead since around October but did not contact anybody.
"Debbie stated she cashed several of Michael's $1,200/month Social Security checks in order to pay for food. Debbie stated she was concerned about getting kicked out of the house if Michael was known to have died," police paperwork stated.
"What we found throughout the investigation was roughly a half a dozen Social Security checks that were cashed by the defendants," DeForte said.
During an interview with police, Debbie Bebout later admitted to officers that she "actually noticed that her brother-in-law, Michael Bebout, dead around Labor Day 2024."
She also allegedly told officers that she pretended to take care of Michael Bebout every day so her husband would not find out.
Neighbors say it smelled "awful" outside the home
"We believe, through our investigation, that both defendants were well aware that the decedent was decomposing in the house with them. The smell was so pungent that you could smell it outside of the home prior to entry," DeForte.
Neighbors described the couple as "bad news" and said that they knew something was wrong when it began to smell outside.
"We smelled an awful smell. We called the gas company, thinking it was a gas leak. Here, it wasn't a gas leak. It was him. They always had a window cracked, to let the smell out, apparently," Samuel Burgess said.
Burgess said he was friends with Michael Bebout and knew he had been sick prior to his passing.
"He was a sweetheart. He would do anything for anyone. He would give you his last dollar, his shoes, his shirt, anything. He was a perfect gentleman," Burgess said.
Dead animals found inside home
Burgess said Michael Bebout had a dog that he loved that also lived in the home.
"There was a little dog. I don't know what happened to the little dog. He might be in there dead also, yeah, because Michael had a little black puppy dog," Burgess said.
DeForte said that several dead animals were found inside the home.
"When we conducted the welfare check, we had noticed dead animals that were also severely decomposed throughout the house, that would also have been accompanied by a lot of garbage. A lot of clutter," DeForte said.
DeForte said anyone who sees James or Debbie Bebout or knows of their whereabouts should call 911.
"To have something like this happen in society today is an absolute violation of the human construct. This is both morally and ethically reprehensible," DeForte said. "In over three decades of my law enforcement career, I have never witnessed something as macabre as what we saw inside of that residence."