'It was macabre': Police find decayed corpse in Washington County home

The corpse of a Washington County man was left to decay in bed for six months while several of his family members lived among it, police said Wednesday.

Authorities do not suspect foul play.

Michael Bebout, 64, apparently died last summer of natural causes inside his Canton Township home on Hayes Avenue, Greene County Regional Police Chief William DeForte said.

But nobody reported the death — and police found Bebout’s decomposing remains only last week during a welfare check at the house.

“We feel he was there for approximately six months,” DeForte told TribLive. “It was macabre. It was enough to disturb my most seasoned officers.”

Patrolman Adrian Poux entered the single-family home around 8 a.m. on Jan. 16, DeForte said.

It appeared that hoarders were living inside the house, which overflowed with trash and newspapers, DeForte said. Piece of furniture were stacked so high that it was difficult to walk through some rooms.

Bebout’s brother, who called police for the welfare check, and the brother’s wife were among “several family members” who sometimes slept there, DeForte said.

“The condition of the house is deplorable — wall-to-wall dog feces,” DeForte told TribLive. “You couldn’t put one foot forward without stepping in dog feces.”

It remains unclear why Bebout’s family did not report his death. But DeForte said police are investigating if anyone was cashing the dead man’s Social Security checks.

Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman told TribLive the coroner’s office is investigating Bebout’s death. Sherman declined further comment, as he said he had not been briefed on the death as of Wednesday afternoon.

Washington County Coroner Tim Warco did not return phone calls Wednesday seeking comment.

Bebout was born in Boston on March 28, 1960 and previously worked as a manager at Brothers’ Pizza in Washington, according to an obituary posted online.

He is survived by three sons, his brother, several grandchildren and two nephews, the obituary said. Family members did not respond Wednesday to calls seeking comment.

All funeral services will be private, according to the Washington-based funeral home handling arrangements.

Greene County Regional Police patrols six towns in Greene and Washington counties, including Canton, the town of about 8,000 residents where Bebout lived.