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A plea deal has been accepted for a Pennsylvania couple arrested for allegedly continuing to live with the corpse of a relative for several months to continue collecting their monthly Social Security checks.
Debbie Bebut64 years old, and her husband, James Edmund Baybutt69-year-old allegedly failed to report the death of his 64-year-old brother, Michaelthis happened around Labor Day 2024. In fact, Michael’s death was not reported to police until January 16, 2025, when James called police to the two-bedroom home the three of them shared.
Police said Michael’s remains were found on his bed and they believe he died of natural causes. The body was allegedly left there for at least four months, according to police. Police also said the entire house was uninhabitable, with severe hoarding and dog feces all over the floor. It was said the house was actually Michael’s house and the smell inside was “unbearable”.
According to obtained court documents, James and Debbie were charged with criminal theft and conspiracy to commit a crime, both felonies, and abuse of a corpse, a misdemeanor. US Weekly. Debbie and James were arrested on December 11, 2025, and the crimes they were charged with were listed as occurring on the day Michael’s body was actually found.
Now, Local reports claim Debbie agreed to plead guilty to one count of theft at a hearing on Tuesday, December 30. Under the terms of the agreement, she will be sentenced to serve time.
James insists he had no idea his brother had died and called 911 immediately after discovering the body. Pittsburgh Action News 4 reports James told police that Debbie pretended to care for Michael even after his death and the couple cashed at least six Social Security checks worth $1,200 each, totaling more than $6,000.
Two people from Illinois, Nicole Pokrzywa and William Cosmen, were arrested after they were accused of trying to flush a baby down the toilet. When their mission failed, the pair ended up burying the baby’s body in a beer box. The Will County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a press release that Poquetswa (…)
He said he discovered the body when he was delivering breakfast to Michael that morning. Debbie had been arrested the night before on an unrelated bench warrant.
There are reports that James was offered a similar contract but said he committed no crime.
assistant district attorney Robert West At a recent hearing, James was required to know the condition of the body, noting that there was only a sheet separating Michael’s bedroom from the living room and that the couple slept on the sofa every night.
“When it comes to the desecration of a body, inaction is action,” West said. according to herald standard Coming out of Uniontown. “I believe that’s what happened here.”
James is scheduled to stand trial in 2026 on one felony count of conspiracy to commit theft and one misdemeanor charge of abuse of a corpse.
James is currently being held in the Washington County Jail on $6,000 cash bail pending a formal arraignment on January 27, 2026.
Debbie, who remains jailed on $25,000 bail, may testify against her husband at trial under the terms of her plea. She will also be required to pay her own court costs and pay back the $6,000 she stole.
