After a man recently reported the death of his sister as suspicious, investigators discovered something bizarre. The brother learned his 58-year-old sister, who lived in Ukiah, California, was ill, and he traveled last month from out of state to visit her. Although she died in a hospital before he could get there, the investigation continued.
The man told police his sister had lived with their mother until her death in 2013. At the time of their mother's death, his sister told him she had made the final arrangements, and he believed her, according to a statement from the City of Ukiah Police Department. While investigating the death of the man's sister 10 years later, police went to his family's property and uncovered his late sister's dark secret.
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The man last spoke to his mother more than 10 years ago.
In August 2013, his sister told him their mother had died after an illness. This did not seem unusual to him because the woman had been in poor health. At the time, his sister informed him that her body was transported to a medical research facility per their mother's wishes, the police release noted.
After her mother's death, his sister continued to live in the home where she and her mother had resided together.
After his sister's death, the man found something shocking.
He traveled to her home to deal with estate matters, the release explained. While there, he uncovered something suspicious. His mother appeared to have several financial documents and recent activity on a checking account with her name on it, despite being dead for more than a decade, according to the release.
"This was odd as his mother's accounts should have been closed for approximately ten years. Because of this, he contacted UPD. UPD Detectives were advised of the circumstances and assumed the investigation," the release reads.
According to police, the mother wasn't officially dead.
Although his sister told her brother she had made final arrangements for their mother, police discovered no death certificate was on file. Police surmised the sister may have hidden her mother's death to keep control of her finances, according to the news release.
"Documents located in the residence supported this suspicion," police reported.
Investigators searched the property.
Because they suspected the sister potentially had been committing fraud, police searched her home. Investigators found skeletal remains on the property and turned them over to the coroner's office, which identified them as the mother. Officials deemed she died from natural causes, the release noted.
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The case is now closed.
After finding the remains, police concluded the sister concealed her mother's death for financial gain, the release explained. According to police, "Due to the fact the sister was now deceased, a lack of additional investigative leads, and no evidence supporting a homicide, this case is no longer under investigation."
The Ukiah community praised the police for their work on the case on their department's Facebook page.
"Unfortunately we deal with the ugliness of people's hearts. Good job on the investigation," someone wrote.
"Money misleading family members from the truth the way and the life," another comment reads.
