A man in Pennsylvania, Michael Mikula, 68, has been arrested on charges including abuse of a corpse, neglecting a dependent person, recklessly endangering another person, and tampering with evidence. This came after police found the body of his deceased wife, Sharlene Mikula, 66, in their home in South Londonderry Township. Authorities learned about her death during a wellness check at their residence.
It is alleged that Mikula made efforts to hide his wife’s remains, which were only discovered after at least a month. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Mrs. Mikula deceased and in an advanced stage of decomposition. The odor of decomposition was noticeable even from outside the house.
Initially, Mikula denied his wife’s presence to the police but later admitted to her passing, claiming he had not done anything wrong. The investigation into the cause of Mrs. Mikula’s death has been complicated due to the state of decomposition of her body.
Mikula reportedly told officers that he found his wife dead one day and that her condition had deteriorated rapidly in the past week. He has been charged with neglect resulting in death for failing to seek medical help for his wife before or after her passing.
The investigation into Mrs. Mikula’s death is ongoing, and Mikula, who is currently in custody on a $100,000 bail, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 23.