Posted on 11/22/2019 9:01:02 AM PST by Mr.Unique
FORT WORTH -- A 51-year-old Navy veteran whose body was found in a DeSoto apartment had been dead for about three years.
A cause of death for Rodney Wayne White is pending toxicology reports and other tests, according to the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office.
White was found dead last week on the kitchen floor of his apartment at DeSoto Town Center. DeSoto police found no evidence of foul play, according to Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV.
His mother, Doris Stevens, told WFAA-TV she didn't know how her son could have been dead in the apartment for so long and nobody knew anything about it.
"When the medical examiner told me three years, my knees gave away. Three years? And that's what I can't get past in my brain," Doris Stevens told WFAA. "I can't get past three years."
Stevens, who lives in Long Island, New York, said she became suspicious about three years ago when her son's phone calls stopped. White, who was single after being divorced for about 20 years, was a defense contractor who traveled the world on his job.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
> single after being divorced for about 20 years, was a defense contractor who traveled the world on his job.
Mercenary?
It took FIVE YEARS for the money in her bank account to run out.
During that time, her landscaping was maintained by the same crew, her utility bills were paid, her driveway and walkways were cleared after snow storms, etc..
It was only after the money ran out and her lawn and landscaping became so overgrown that one of her neighbors though to themselves that they hadn't seen her in quite some time and called the police to do a health and welfare check on her.
The police found her well decomposed and mummified body sitting in a rocking chair in front of a dead tv screen.
The reason that (and this ...) story resonate with me is because I'm divorced, empty-nester, have my bills set to auto-pay from my bank account and work from home several days a week. My neighbors hardly ever see me (nor I them.)
I'm likely going to die this same way.
Good point. Maybe he had a mail slot on his door. Also what about renewing the lease?
My 1st thought too, tight family ??
They are always in the last place you look.
Same thing happened with 1950s actress Yvette Vickers a few years ago. She’d probably been dead a year when they finally found her.
Direct deposit of retirement pay; rent (or mortgage) and utilities on autopay from the account.
I'm surprised the IRS didn't notice 3 years of non-filing, though.
Many leases automatically renew. Or it might have been a month-to-month rental.
There's probably a couple of letters from them among the piled up mail.
“His mother, Doris Stevens, told WFAA-TV she didn’t know how her son could have been dead in the apartment for so long and nobody knew anything about it.”
I think I see the problem
Yep...she OTHER people in her life.
I’m curious about his mail, surely he received some, which over 3 years would have piled up, unless he had a door mail slot and it all went inside his house/apartment.
His Navy retired pay check would have continued to be automatically deposited unless the Defense Finance Service was informed of his death. Now, will his mother have to repay 3 years of him receiving retired pay after he died?
His mother may be to the point where she was calling, but forgot that she didn’t get ahold of him by the next day. Let alone how long it had been since they talked.
She was old and he was a world traveler who was evidently often out of the country.
Maybe he wasn't a retired vet, but had loads of cash in a checking account. He was dead so he wasn't generating any income or enough that warranted paying taxes.
Staff members at the apartment complex found the body when they were checking
checking units that had not been using water, according to the Associated Press.
Only way this could be possible is if she knew he was dead and was spending his money.
Otherwise, no. Not in the least. And since it was likely consumed by bill pay as it was earned, good luck going back on the legitimate creditors.
Likely, any assets his estate has will be auctioned and the Navy will get what it can, but will eat the rest.
He traveled internationally. There was probably an automated setup for that too.
Now, will his mother have to repay 3 years of him receiving retired pay after he died?
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I would think only if she was receiving it.
If the money was going into his account, his estate would be responsible for paying it back. If he has nothing in his estate then the government is out of luck
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