‘Strange’ call to funeral home leads to body of man dead for year, Connecticut cops say
A “strange” call about a funeral home’s burial and cremation services resulted in the discovery of a man’s body that had been decomposing for over a year, police in Connecticut said.
Authorities soon learned a son was calling about his “elderly” dad who died in April 2021, East Haven Police Capt. Joseph Murgo said in a statement provided to McClatchy News.
The man’s body was found in “advanced stages of decomposition”’ in an East Haven home on June 7 after his son called the East Haven Memorial Funeral Home earlier that day, Murgo said.
When the funeral home employee realized the caller was inquiring about someone who died more than a year ago, they advised contacting police, Murgo said. The caller immediately hung up, and the funeral home called 911.
As a result, an investigation into the caller was underway when someone seeking a coroner called East Haven Public Safety dispatch to come to an East Haven home, Murgo said.
Police responded and entered the home where they found the man dead in an upstairs bedroom, Murgo said. Then, the caller was found, and police realized it was the man’s son.
“It is unclear why the death was not reported earlier.”
A member of the deceased man’s family spoke with WTNH and identified him as William Augur. He is believed to have been in his ’80s when he died and was found in the home where he lived with his son.
In March, the family requested police conduct a wellness check on Augur, according to WTNH. At the time, the son told police that Augur had died but didn’t tell them his body was still in the home.
Murgo said an autopsy is being conducted to determine how Augur died and saidthe son is “cooperating with the investigation.”
There are “possible charges pending,” Murgo said.
East Haven is roughly 40 miles south of Hartford.
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 9:17 AM with the headline "‘Strange’ call to funeral home leads to body of man dead for year, Connecticut cops say."
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