Man arrested after mother-in-law’s body found buried in flower bed, officials say

Gregory Tanner is charged with theft of property, forgery, financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable person, identity theft and abuse of a corpse.(Action News 5/SCSO)

By Shyra Sherfield and Emily Van de Riet

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) – A man is facing charges in connection with the death of his 83-year-old mother-in-law whose body was found buried in her own garden.

According to an affidavit, Rebecca Seay was reported missing on Feb. 18 after caseworkers were unable to get in touch with her following her release from the hospital. Seay was diagnosed with dementia and was last seen leaving the hospital on Jan. 22 with her son-in-law, 59-year-old Gregory Tanner.

Investigators say her body was found on March 3 in the flower bed of her rental property, wrapped in sheets next to a black box of ashes labeled “High Point Funeral Home, David Seay.” David is Seay’s deceased son.

A cause of death has not been released.

According to an affidavit, Rebecca Seay was reported missing on Feb. 18 after caseworkers were unable to get in touch with her following her release from the hospital.(TBI)

On March 2, investigators were reportedly notified of suspicious activity regarding Seay’s bank accounts that were not related to her care. Between Jan. 7 and March 7, Tanner allegedly made $24,600 in unauthorized purchases on gambling sites that matched player records under his name.

It was also found that $80,800 in checks were forged and negotiated by Tanner into his personal bank accounts, according to the affidavit.

The total loss was $105,409.

Tanner is charged with theft of property, forgery, financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable person, identity theft and abuse of a corpse.

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Man arrested after mother-in-law’s body found buried in flower bed, officials say

Ross Co. woman pleads guilty to hiding elderly woman’s body

ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A Ross County woman accused of covering up the death of an elderly woman in order to steal her social security pled guilty this week in a Ross County court.

38-year-old Anna Mead, according to court records obtained by the Guardian, pled guilty to abuse of a corpse, attempted aggravated arson, attempted tampering with evidence, failure to report knowledge of a dead, and theft.

Mead was involved in a conspiracy to steal the social security of 86-year-old Norma Grubb following her death in October of 2021.

Mead kept the deceased woman’s body covered in a bedroom while continuing to collect checks in her name.

Detectives say, Mead continued the plot from October to December of 2021.

Investigators said during that time, the home belonging to Grubb was set on fire to cover up her death.

Anna Mead will spend the next 6 years behind bars.

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Ross Co. woman pleads guilty to hiding elderly woman’s body

Arkansas woman arrested after mother found mummified, wrapped in newspaper

Arkansas woman accused Geanee Pike is accused of wrapping her mother in newspaper after her death and continuing to use money from the older woman's Social Security disability account. (Washington County Detention Center )

By Bob D'Angelo

 

LINCOLN, Ark. — An Arkansas woman is accused of living with the body of her dead mother and continuing to use the elder woman’s Social Security disability money that was being deposited monthly, authorities said.

 

Geanee Pike, 54, of Lincoln, was arrested Monday in connection with abuse of a corpse and financial identity fraud, according to Washington County online court records. She is accused in the death of Gloria Pike, 73, of Lincoln, KNWA reported.

 

Gloria Pike’s brother, George Maness, had reported her missing on July 21, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Maness said he had not seen his sister since August 2020, the newspaper reported. He added that Gloria Pike had stage 4 breast cancer and had been living with her daughter.

Lincoln woman arrested for concealing mother's death, spending benefit money https://t.co/gukfXUYpi7

— AR Democrat-Gazette (@ArkansasOnline) August 3, 2021

On July 21, investigators spoke to Geanee Pike, who said that her mother was staying with a friend in a location she did not disclose, KNWA reported. She denied that she had access to her mother’s bank account or credit card, according to a police report.

Authorities subpoenaed Gloria Pike’s bank account records and discovered a transaction on July 27, 2021, at a Dollar General store in Lincoln, the television station reported.

Surveillance footage from the store “positively identified Geanee Pike using her missing mother’s check card,” and a search warrant of the home was executed for financial identify fraud, according to KNWA.

Authorities found a woman’s body, later identified as Gloria Pike, on a bed next to her daughter’s bedroom, the television station reported. Gloria Pike’s mummified body was wrapped in newspaper, and bedding covered the newspapers, the Democrat-Gazette reported.

According to Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigator Sgt. Autumn Holland, Geanee Pike said her mother died of natural causes last year but she did not report the woman’s death, the newspaper reported. She said her mother owed her money that she had promised to pay from her monthly disability checks, the Democrat-Gazette reported.

Geanee Pike said she continued to use her mother’s bank account after her death, Holland said.

Geanee Pike is currently being held at the Washington County Detention Center, KNWA reported.

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Arkansas woman arrested after mother found mummified, wrapped in newspaper