A shocking report has revealed that squatters allegedly lived alongside a mummified body of the owner of the house they were residing in.
The incident unfolded in Smyrna, Georgia, where seven individuals are accused of illegally occupying and looting the home of a deceased man whose body had gone undiscovered for months.
Squatters were living alongside a decomposing corpse. Credit: RUBEN BONILLA GONZALO/Getty
Police say the alleged squatters even used the deceased's cash to purchase lottery tickets while the mummified body of 71-year-old Robert Westbrook remained in his home, per the New York Post.
Cobb County Police responded to Westbrook’s residence in early October after receiving a request for a wellness check.
When they entered, they found Westbrook, the sole occupant, deceased in his bathtub. Authorities believe he had been dead for approximately three months.
“He was in a severe state of decomposition. It’s called mummification,” Detective Daniel Goduto explained to WANF.
According to detectives, Westbrook died of natural causes, but evidence at the scene suggested that intruders had moved in while his body remained undisturbed.
Drawers were emptied, and his bedroom was in disarray. The home, however, displayed signs of recent habitation, with fresh trash and signs of regular cleaning.
The squatters had allegedly been there for months. Credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty
“[The home] was ransacked. Drawers were overturned. His master bedroom was completely just disheveled,” Goduto said. “But then, there were items consistent with somebody still living there. The trash looked like it was taken out regularly.”
The day after the wellness check, a concerned neighbor reported seeing individuals on Westbrook’s property.
When officers returned, they found four suspects in possession of Westbrook’s belongings, including his money, electronics, and even his vehicle.
“They had the victim’s credit cards. They had some checks from him,” Goduto noted.
Police later found Westbrook’s stolen vehicle at a nearby gas station, along with the remaining three suspects, who had been using Westbrook’s money to buy items inside the station and even gamble on lottery machines.
The squatters were allegedly using Westbrook's money to buy lottery tickets. Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty
Detectives revealed that all seven suspects knew each other, and some had previous criminal records in Cobb County.
“It goes to show their moral compass, if you will,” said Goduto. “They broke into someone’s home. They saw him deceased on the ground and instead of saying, ‘Hey, we messed up. Let’s call 911. We found this guy dead,’ they decided to just live there.”
The discovery stunned Westbrook’s neighbors, who were unaware of his death or the looting of his home.
“I had no idea that this had been happening,” neighbor Sophia Da Silva told WANF. “I had no idea that he was dead. I had no idea that he was robbed. It was quite shocking.”
Police believe the overgrown vegetation surrounding Westbrook’s home made it appear abandoned, which may have led the alleged squatters to assume the residence was vacant.
“I think they thought it was a vacant house,” said Goduto, urging residents to be vigilant. “If you know you have an elderly neighbor, check on them. If you see their house is overgrown, check on them.”