A New Jersey man is facing criminal charges after his girlfriend's decomposed body was found inside a trash bag last month. He lived with the woman's corpse for several months inside their shared apartment, police said.
On Wednesday, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri charged 44-year-old David Gibson of Trenton with disturbing or desecrating human remains, tampering with evidence and hindering, The Trentonian reported. Onofri also noted Gibson would remain in custody as he awaits trial.
Gibson told authorities he found his girlfriend, Kirshon Smith, unresponsive inside the apartment in July.
He also told authorities he tried reviving Smith at their residence on Beatty Street, but was unsuccessful, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by NJ.com. The complaint states Gibson placed his girlfriend's body in the couple's bed, where “she remained for approximately 10-14 days."
Gibson is accused of then stuffing Smith's body inside a trash bag and placing it inside a closet in the apartment. The human remains stayed in the apartment for several months before Gibson was evicted on November 18. The landlord made the shocking discovery on December 23, NJ.com reported.
The landlord was cleaning the apartment when he found the remains inside the trash bag.
He told police he noticed a foul odor from a trash bag in the closet. When the landlord opened it, he discovered a human skull and called 911.
Officers with the Trenton Police Department located Gibson outside the Trenton Transit Center, and he was taken into custody on January 11, according to NJ.com.
The incident is still being investigated by law enforcement.
An autopsy was conducted by the Middlesex Regional Medical Examiner’s Office to determine Smith's cause of death. The identity of the remains will be confirmed with a pending DNA test, according to The Trentonian.
Anyone with information about the ongoing investigation is asked to call the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-989-6406. Information can also be emailed to [email protected].
Internet users reacted to the news on social media.
In a Facebook post from NJ.com, users shared their thoughts in the comments section.
"That’s so foul," one commenter wrote. "How did nobody else complain about the smell in an apartment building?"
Another suggested Gibson lived inside the apartment rent-free for two years to save up money.
"He or they probably lived rent – free for 2 years," one person suggested. "Buy a 2nd home they said. Use OPM they said. Rent it out they said. Have a positive cash flow they said. Use it for your retirement they said."
"My guess is the reason he didn’t call 9-1-1 is because he actually killed her," another follower wrote.
