Canton woman sentenced after body found in home
A woman who lived with her brother-in-law’s decomposing body in a Canton Township home for more than four months was released from prison following her sentencing Wednesday.
Debbie Bebout, 64, appeared before Washington County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Valarie Costanzo for her “fast track” hearing. Jake Mihalov, Bebout’s court-appointed attorney from the courthouse’s conflicts counsel office, said she pleaded guilty to a felony of theft by unlawful taking and a misdemeanor of abuse of a corpse.
Costanzo sentenced Bebout to time served to 23 months in prison for the theft charge, and up to 23 months of probation for the abuse of a corpse charge. She had been in the Washington County jail for 55 days.
“She was released and checked in with her probation officer late (Wednesday) afternoon,” Mihalov said.
Michael Bebout, 64, died in late August 2024, and Debbie Bebout pretended to care for him for months while cashing his Social Security checks. According to Mihalov, Bebout will have to pay more than $6,000 in restitution for the stolen funds.
James Bebout, brother of the deceased and Debbie Bebout’s wife, called police to their home at 500 Hayes Ave. in Canton Township the morning of Jan. 16, 2025, after discovering the body.
Charges were filed against the couple on Dec. 9 by Greene-Washington Regional police.
James Bebout, 68, rejected a plea deal similar to his wife and claims he was unaware his brother was dead until the day he called 911. He still faces a felony of conspiracy to commit theft and a misdemeanor of abuse of a corpse.
Greene-Washington Regional police Cpl. Adrian Poux testified at a preliminary hearing in December that there was “such an overwhelming smell” in the home and that “it was an olfactory deluge.”
James Bebout was released from jail on Dec. 26 after a private citizen posted the $6,000 bond for him, and he is currently awaiting trial.