A perplexing and unsettling discovery has unfolded on an Ohio farm, where a farmer was found to have been living in his RV with his deceased wife for six years.
In late December, Robert Rea, a 70-year-old farmer residing at Nettle Creek Farm & Nursery in Salem, Ohio, sadly passed away. His son, 29-year-old John Rea, subsequently reported his father's death to the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office in early January.
However, what transpired next left authorities stunned.
Upon notifying law enforcement about his father's death, John informed them that there was another body on the farm. Initially, deputies scoured the expansive 40-acre property without success. Nevertheless, Sheriff Brian McLaughlin and another officer soon spotted an RV behind the barn, leading them to the chilling discovery of Robert's deceased wife, Peggy Rea, inside the vehicle.
According to John's account, his father passed away on December 31, and he had been residing in the RV with Peggy's lifeless body for the past six years.
Peggy Rea had passed away in 2017 at the age of 64, PEOPLE reports.
The Sheriff's office has now disclosed that Robert had been caring for Peggy's remains by himself over the course of six years. Her body was found surrounded by herbs, wrapped in a blanket, and was remarkably well-preserved considering the duration of her passing, per WFMJ.
Sheriff McLaughlin expressed his astonishment, stating: "I've been doing this for almost 34 years and never seen anything like it. I have never seen a body that has been gone that long and still that intact. We've had bodies that have been gone for much, much less time and had next to nothing left."
Both Robert and Peggy appeared to have died of natural causes, according to reports. Peggy's body was sent to the Columbiana County Coroner's Department, then transferred to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office. The latter conducted an evaluation to determine the cause of death and an approximate date of death, ultimately confirming that Peggy had been deceased for six years.
John revealed that his parents were devout Quakers who had expressed a desire to be buried at the same time, in accordance with their faith, per Cleveland.com.
As this perplexing and tragic case continues to raise questions, representatives from the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner have yet to respond to requests from PEOPLE for further information.