The family living in the residence discovered the body of a 64-year-old man on January 16th. Shockingly, the man had been deceased for several months before his discovery.
It all began when a family member made a welfare check on 64-year-old Michael Bebout, who resided at 500 Hayes Avenue in Canton Township.
According to William DeForte, Chief of Greene County Regional Police Department, the scene that awaited officers upon entering the house was nothing short of 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.”
According to Chief DeForte, the interior of the home was in a state of disarray and unclean. He also mentioned that the family seemed to be dealing with a hoarding disorder.
According to him, foul play doesn’t seem to be involved in Bebout’s death. However, there might be a different narrative when it comes to Bebout’s financial accounts.
“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.”
The case is still under investigation, leaving many unanswered questions.
