Florida Woman Accused Of Hiding Body In Trash Can To Collect Benefits
BRADENTON (CBSMiami/AP) — In order to keep collecting a man's Social Security benefits, a Florida woman stuffed his body into a trash can after he died, according to investigators.
Michelle Haney, 48, was arrested Wednesday by Manatee County Sheriff's deputies and is now facing charges of abuse of a corpse.
Haney reportedly told investigators that Jon Christopher Leonard, 40, died in July of what appeared to be natural causes. His body was found in a trash can being stored at a neighbor's home.
Haney and Leonard had been living together at the time. Instead of calling authorities, investigators said Haney stored Leonard's body in a closet, before sealing it in a trash can three weeks later.
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She then took the trash can to a neighbor's house and told the neighbor that she'd be back for it later. Investigators said the neighbor was apparently unaware of what was inside. He called authorities after he smelled an odor and opened the container.
Haney told investigators that she kept the body so she could continue receiving his benefits.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
