7 suspects take over dead man’s home with body still inside, live off his money

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Investigators say burglary suspects broke into a dead man’s home and lived with his mummified body.

The man was 71 years old. When police arrived they told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell that the victim was in a mummified state, but the suspects chose to live in the man’s home instead of calling police.

“They were living in his house for ... I don’t know how long. He was located in the bathroom and there’s only one bathroom in the house,” Detective Daniel Goduto with the Cobb County Police Department said.

Police said the suspects used the victim’s credit cards and forged his checks.

Sonya da Silva had no idea her neighbor on Harold Avenue passed away three months ago because he always kept to himself.

“It’s a shame and it’s sad. It’s just sad,” da Silva said. “To take advantage of a dead person is just sick.”

She knew something was wrong when she recorded video of the police in front of the man’s house.

“There were like 10 police cars here and they were trying to apprehend two people,” da Silva said.

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The incident started out as a welfare check.

“We responded for the death and the very next day we responded to the burglary -- within 24 hours we had everyone in custody,” Goduto said.

The detective said the homeowner was in a mummified state and his home was ransacked.

“All the drawers were overturned, his belongings were in the middle of the room and it was clear that people were looking through for things of value to take,” Goduto said.

Police say the suspects stole his car too.

They got a hit on it at a nearby gas station where they say the suspects were inside using the stolen credit cards.

“It’s unfortunate they preyed on somebody who was obviously deceased and took his belongings and used his money. We have a good working relationship with our patrol officers. Having that working relationship with that shift being able to call me immediately when they are on their way to that scene was beneficial” Goduto said.

Investigators tried to track down the victim’s family, but they told Newell that they discovered they were all dead.

The man’s cause of death is unclear.

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