A court has heard that a woman allegedly kept her deceased brother-in-law’s body in her residence for several months to profit from his social security benefits. When authorities entered the home of Debbie and James Bebout, they were met with a strong stench of decay and deplorable living conditions. Inside, they discovered the remains of Michael Bebout, who had passed away around several months prior. Despite no evidence of foul play in Michael’s death, his sister-in-law reportedly harbored his decaying body to cash in on his social security checks.
Debbie Bebout, aged 64, is anticipated to enter a guilty plea for felony theft through a “fast track” plea agreement. Her husband, James Bebout, aged 68, also faced charges related to theft, criminal conspiracy, and abuse of a corpse. While James claimed ignorance of his brother’s body in the house, prosecutors argued against this assertion due to the pervasive stench in the property.
The authorities were alerted on January 16 when James Bebout reported finding his deceased brother during a visit to their home in Pennsylvania. Upon investigation, only skeletal remains were discovered, indicating that Michael Bebout had likely passed away several months earlier.
During the preliminary hearing, Greene-Washington Regional Police Corporal Adrian Poux described the home as having an overwhelming odor of death, with conditions likened to a “horror show.” Police Chief Will DeForte previously characterized the situation as one of the most appalling scenes encountered, with the residence filled with dog excrement and cluttered like a hoarder’s dwelling.
Testimony revealed that Debbie Bebout had been posing as Michael’s primary caregiver, with her husband taking over this role on the day of the discovery. Further investigations uncovered that Debbie had feigned care for Michael to continue receiving his social security payments. The funds were purportedly used for household necessities.
Debbie Bebout is set to plead guilty to felony theft and may receive a sentence of time served, while James Bebout denies involvement, claiming ignorance of the scheme. However, prosecutors argue that it would have been implausible for James not to be aware of the body in the home, considering its proximity to their living area.
Despite a dismissed theft charge, James Bebout faces trial for conspiracy to commit theft and misdemeanor abuse of a corpse. He is currently detained at Washington County Jail on a cash bond, awaiting arraignment on January 27.