Man deceased for months found at Washington County home with family still living inside
CANTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) -- The body of a 64-year-old man who had been deceased for months was discovered in his home on Jan. 16, with his family still living in the residence.
It all started with a welfare check called in from a family member on 64-year-old Michael Bebout, who lived at 500 Hayes Avenue in Canton Township.
William DeForte, the chief of Greene County Regional Police Department that patrols the township, says that when officers entered the house, what they found was shocking and macabre.
"The decedent was in an advanced state of decomposition, which we have estimated to be around six months," said DeForte. "Currently, our investigation from my detectives has uncovered that family members have been very transient in nature, entering the house and spending the night there, leaving, staying for weeks on end, while the decedent was upstairs in his bed."
Chief DeForte added that the home's interior was dirty and in complete disarray and that the family appeared to suffer from a hoarding disorder.
He also said that while it doesn't appear that there was foul play, at least in the death of Bebout, when it comes to Bebout's financial accounts, it may be a different story.
"This usually happens when you have a decedent that had passed away and was left in the house by friends and family," said DeForte. "They are normally taking advantage of the residence and/or the financial situation."
An investigation into this case is ongoing with many questions unanswered.
