Police arrested two Lakewood residents for allegedly living with a partner’s corpse for 18 months while cashing his social security checks. 

The Lakewood Police Department arrested 55-year-old James Agnew and his wife 57-year-old Suzanne Agnew earlier in July after discovering the body of 62-year-old James O’Neill under a deflated air mattress in a condominium on July 3.

Both of the suspects were charged with tampering with a deceased human body, theft, unauthorized use of a financial transaction device and abuse of a corpse — all felonies.

The investigation began after O’Neill’s brother contacted the police department in June for a wellness check. He claimed he had not heard from his brother since 2019. O’Neill’s sister had not heard from him since 2021, according to the arrest affidavit.

When officers arrived at O’Neill’s residence, a man — later identified as Agnew — came out and said he was James. He said his family had tried to get in contact with him, but he didn’t want to communicate with them. 

O’Neill’s brother identified the man as someone other than O’Neill.

Police returned to the residence and met with Agnew again. Agnew claimed that O’Neill hadn’t lived there for years, with Suzanne Agnew claiming O’Neill had moved out with a “foreign woman” he met online, according to arrest records.

Through O’Neill’s bank account, investigators found it had been used regularly and had a monthly Social Security deposit of over $900.

The brother claimed there was an inheritance that needed to be deposited into O’Neill’s bank account. When he called O’Neill, Suzanne Agnew answered and said his brother didn’t want to speak to him. The brother provided a checking account number and O’Neill’s Social Security number, but when told Agnew that O’Neill would need to appear in person at the bank to sign paperwork before receiving the funds, Agnew cut off contact.

A vehicle registered to O’Neill was also towed from the apartment complex in 2024, but no one came to pick it up.

Police returned to the residence with a search warrant on July 3. James Agnew was immediately arrested in connection to an outstanding warrant, according to arrest records.

Suzanne Agnew immediately told police that O’Neill’s body would be found in the residence. She was arrested.

The body was found under a deflated air mattress that was placed on top of him after one of Suzanne Agnew’s eight chihuahuas began chewing on him. 

The three of them had been in an intimate relationship, Suzanne Agnew later told police. In December 2023, the couple awoke to O’Neill dead on the air mattress, she told police.

She claimed he had died from poor medical health and James Agnew admitted O’Neill may have been on methamphetamines or cocaine the night of his death. 

Initially, Suzanne Agnew told investigators that she didn’t want to call police “because she was not ready to ‘give up’ Jim,” according to the arrest affidavit.

The two decided not to report the death with the Social Security money O’Neill received as a “consideration” in the decision, James Agnew said.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office is still investigating the cause of death.

The two used a total of approximately $17,406 with the $967.00 monthly deposit to his account on things like bills, according to arrest records.

Suzanne Agnew is scheduled to be in court Aug. 27, James Agnew on Sept. 2.