Woman Hid Dead Body in Trash Bin to Collect His Social Security Benefits: Cops

Michelle Haney, 48, was arrested in Florida earlier this week after she confessed to hiding her 39-year-old roommate Jon Leonard’s dead body in the trash to continue collecting his Social Security benefits, police said. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that Leonard died in July but instead of reporting his death, Haney hid his body, first in a closet and then in a neighbor’s trash bin.

According to the sheriff’s office’s press release, the neighbor opened the bin on Tuesday, December 8, and called the authorities after noticing a foul smell. Detectives said the 55-gallon trash can contained Leonard’s body “in an advanced stage of decomposition.”

Haney has been charged with abuse of a dead human body with additional charges expected, the sheriff’s office reported. Detectives are continuing to investigate Leonard’s cause of death and an autopsy is being performed.

Detectives Found the Body When Haney’s Neighbor Looked Into the Trash Bin Months Later

The press release stated that the sheriff’s office was alerted to the case when Haney’s neighbor at the Windmill Manor Mobile Home Park in Bradenton, Florida, called to say they found something “suspicious” in the trash can that he had been storing on her behalf.

According to the authorities, the neighbor “thought the sealed trash can contained that person’s personal items and was waiting for them to come back for it. After approximately 2 months, the resident decided to open the container and quickly noticed a foul smell.”

The press release stated that there are “several leads” but no other details were available. The sheriff’s office is urging anyone with information about the case to contact them at (941) 747-3011.

Haney Confessed to Detectives That She Hid Her Roommate’s Body to Use His Benefits

A subsequent press release issued by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office provided the identity of the victim, Leonard, who was 39 years old when he died in July. The sheriff’s office also said they arrested Haney, who was living with Leonard at the time of his death. According to the authorities, Haney told detectives that she found his dead body in their mobile home in July.

“Instead of calling the Sheriff’s Office she stored his body in a closet, and then 3 weeks later put his body inside a trash can, sealed it up, and took it to a neighbor’s residence,” the press release indicated. Haney told officers her motive for doing so was to receive Leonard’s Social Security benefits. It’s not yet clear what fraud charges Haney may face for that offense.

Haney was arrested on December 9 and is being held at the Manatee County Jail on a $50,000 bond, public records show. She appeared in court for her bond hearing, ABC7 reported, where the court stated that Haney had a criminal past but did not mention further details. In setting the bond amount at $50,000, Judge Frederick Mercurio said:

Based upon the manner in which the crime was committed and the deception involved in delivering the dead body in a trash can and left it for a significant period of time at a neighbor’s and the alleged social security theft which was admitted to by the defendant after Miranda, the court finds that a monetary bond is appropriate and will set that bond at $50,000.

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