New Yorker Wendy Stone and son arrested for concealing a body

A mother and her son from upstate New York are accused of keeping their deceased friend's remains in their basement for months and dousing them with bleach to mask the stench, while the mother used her deceased friend's welfare payments to go on shopping sprees.

Wendy Stone, 63, and her 24-year-old son, Cody James Stone, were charged Thursday with unauthorized concealment of a corpse, a felony, for allegedly hiding the body of Kenneth Crisman in the basement of their Rochester home, the Democrat & Chronicle reported.

The 66-year-old's body was found wrapped up and in a plastic recycling bin last September – about nine months after he died of a suspected fentanyl overdose in late 2022, authorities said.

Wendy Stone was first arrested last month and charged in federal court for allegedly continuing to collect benefits from her late partner, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York said.

“Stone failed to notify anyone of Crisman's death and instead placed his body in the basement of her residence and continued to collect his benefits,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Testani.

“Stone wrapped Crisman's body and placed it in a plastic recycling bin. He periodically doused his body with bleach to prevent a foul odor,” Tsetani claimed.

Shortly after Crisman's death, Stone activated his debit card with a new PIN and spent the next few months emptying his account by spending at least $7,902 at stores and restaurants, prosecutors said.

According to the federal complaint, Stone was caught shopping at Walmart with her son in August 2023 using services from Crisman's debit card. Additionally, she was monitored while going to an ATM to withdraw money in June 2023.

She continued to receive her own benefits while also receiving those of her deceased partner, authorities said.

“It was just shocking that something like this happened in what is supposed to be a peaceful neighborhood,” neighbor Patty Borges-Madden told WHAM after Stone's arrest by federal authorities.

Federal authorities charged Stone with theft of government funds, aggravated identity theft and making false statements to obtain welfare benefits. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Stone faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.