Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Shocking Incident in Ashtabula, Ohio
Two women in Ashtabula, Ohio, have been accused of a disturbing act involving the body of an 80-year-old man. Karen Casbohm, 63, and Loreen Bea Feralo, 55, have been charged with gross abuse of a corpse and theft from a person in a protected class.
The shocking incident unfolded when police received a call on Monday evening about two women dropping off a body at the Ashtabula County Medical Center emergency room. The women did not identify the deceased person or themselves. However, a few hours later, one of them contacted the hospital with information on the deceased, who was later identified as 80-year-old Douglas Layman of Ashtabula.
Upon investigating Layman’s residence, officers found Casbohm and Feralo, who claimed they had found Layman deceased at the home they shared. Allegedly, with the help of a third unnamed person, they placed Layman in the front seat of his car and drove to a bank to withdraw money from his account. The body was positioned in a way that it would be visible to bank staff to facilitate the withdrawal.
According to Ashtabula Police Chief Robert Stell, the bank had allowed this previously as long as the women were accompanied by Layman. Lt. Mike Palinkas revealed that one of the women had been in a live-in relationship with Layman for several years, while the other had been staying at the residence for a few months. They claimed it was normal for them to access the account, but the motive behind their actions that day remains unclear.
Palinkas stated, “Allegedly, they wanted to pay some bills but outside of that, there wasn’t a specific motivation provided.” Casbohm has been arraigned and held on a $5,000 bond, while Feralo is scheduled for arraignment next week. It’s unknown if they have legal representation at this time.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed. The coroner’s office mentioned that an autopsy to determine the cause of Layman’s death could take up to eight months.
Stay tuned for more updates as this bizarre and tragic story continues to unfold.
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