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A plea deal has been accepted within the case of a Pennsylvania couple who’ve been arrested for allegedly persevering with to stay with a relative’s lifeless physique for a number of months so as to maintain receiving his month-to-month Social Safety checks.
Debbie Bebout, 64, and her husband, James Edmond Bebout, 69, allegedly didn’t report the loss of life of his 64-year-old brother, Michael, when it occurred round Labor Day in 2024. In actual fact, Michael’s loss of life wouldn’t be reported to police till January 16, 2025, when James summoned police to the two-bedroom dwelling the three of them shared.
Police mentioned that Michael’s skeletal stays had been present in his mattress, the place they consider he died from pure causes. In line with police, the physique was allegedly left there for no less than 4 months. Officers additionally mentioned your entire dwelling was unlivable, with a heavy hoarding scenario and canine feces protecting everywhere in the flooring. The odor inside the house, which was really owned by Michael, was mentioned to be “overwhelming.”
James and Debbie are charged with theft by illegal taking and legal conspiracy, each felonies, and abuse of a corpse, a misdemeanor, in line with courtroom paperwork obtained by Us Weekly. Debbie and James’ arrests occurred December 11, 2025, with their alleged crimes listed as occurring on the day Michael’s stays had been really discovered.
Now, native stories declare that Debbie has agreed to plead responsible to a single rely of theft throughout a listening to set for Tuesday, December 30. Beneath the phrases of the deal, she will probably be sentenced to time served.
James maintains that he didn’t know his brother had died and referred to as 911 as quickly as he discovered the stays. Pittsburgh’s Motion Information 4 reported James instructed police Debbie pretended to look after Michael even after his loss of life and the couple cashed no less than six Social Safety checks value $1,200 every for a complete of greater than $6,000.
Two individuals in Illinois, Nicole Pokrzywa and William Cosmen, have been arrested after they had been accused of making an attempt to flush an toddler down a rest room. Once they had been unsuccessful on the process, the pair finally buried the infant’s physique in a beer field. The Will County Sheriff’s Workplace confirmed in a press launch that Pokrzywa, […]
He mentioned he solely discovered the physique when he introduced Michael breakfast that morning. The night time earlier than, Debbie was arrested on an unrelated bench warrant.
Studies recommended James was supplied an analogous deal however mentioned he didn’t commit against the law.
Assistant District Legal professional Robert West argued throughout a latest listening to James needed to have recognized concerning the physique, noting solely a sheet separated Michael’s bed room from the lounge, the place the couple slept every night time on couches.
“Inaction is motion with regards to the desecration of a physique,” West mentioned, in line with the Herald-Customary out of Uniontown. “I consider that’s what occurred right here.”
James is ready to face trial in 2026 on one felony rely of conspiracy to commit theft and a misdemeanor cost of abuse of a corpse.
James is being held on the Washington County jail on $6,000 money bond whereas he awaits his formal arraignment January 27, 2026.
Debbie, who stays in jail on $25,000 bond, will seemingly testify in opposition to her husband at trial below the phrases of the plea. She may also be anticipated to cowl her personal courtroom prices and return the $6,000 she stole.
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