US: Kansas couple cashed relative’s retirement benefits by hiding his dead body for six years
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Prosecutors in Kansas have charged a couple with fraud after they continued collecting retirement benefits of a relativefor six years after his death, all the while keeping his body hidden inside their home, said local media. The Kansas City Star has reported that Lynn Ritter and Kirk Ritter collected more than USD 215,000 in retirement benefits of Lynn's father Mike Carroll.
News reports say that Carroll had died in 2016 when he was 81. But the couple did not report the death nor did theyburyhis body until 2022, when Kirk Ritter called the police to report his death.
According to the prosecutors, the couple, both aged 61, continued to use the money from Carroll's bank account. A report by NBC News said Carroll's body became 'mummified' on a bed inside the house he himself owned.
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In order to hide Carroll's death from family members, Ritters spun elaborate web of lies and constantly gave excuses when they wanted to talk to him on phone. They led the relatives to believe that Carroll was alive.
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The Kansas Star reported that when police came to know about Carroll's dead body, they initially investigated the case as that of a suspicious death. But medical examiner from the county later concluded that Carroll died of natural causes.
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The Ritters now face one count of wire fraud and two counts of theft of government funds. Both of them will have to appear in court on February 2.
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NBC cited court documents to say that the couple did not have a lawyer at the time they were charged. Prosecutors have alleged that Lynn and Kirk Ritter hid Carroll's death for "their own personal benefit".
"We were denied contact with him," Carroll's niece Jean told The Kansa Star "And now we know why."
(With inputs from agencies)