Body found in Overland Park home was there for years, Social Security Administration investigating case

EVEN MORE OF THAT RAIN. THAT’S COMING UP. WE BEGIN IN OVERLAND PARK WHERE POLICE HAVE FOUND A MAN’S BODY IN A HOUSE THAT BOBBY MIGHT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SIX YEARS. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. I’M KRIS KETZ AND I’M KELLY ECKERMAN. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE, THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION IS NOW CONDUCTING A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. KMBC9 MATT EVANS IS LIVE AT THE OVERLAND PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT TO EXPLAIN ALL THIS. AND KELLY, WE ARE STILL WAITING ON SOME ANSWERS ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE ITSELF. POLICE HERE AND THE LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE REFERRING TO ALL OF OUR INQUIRIES TO THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. HERE’S WHAT WE DO KNOW. OVERLAND PARK POLICE FIRST CALLED TO A HOME ON WEST 99TH TERRACE JUST OFF OF CUVIER. THAT’S NOT FAR FROM OAK PARK MALL BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2020 TO OCTOBER 23RD OF LAST YEAR, TO BE EXACT, WHERE THEY FOUND A MAN WHO HAD BEEN DEAD FOR AN EXTENDED TIME. ORIGINALLY, POLICE INVESTIGATED AS A SUSPICIOUS DEATH, BUT THE JOHNSON COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER FOUND THE MAN THEY DESCRIBED AS ELDERLY, DON’T HAVE AN EXACT AGE, DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES BACK IN 2016. THAT’S WHEN SOCIAL SECURITY GOT INVOLVED AND IT BEGAN THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE WAS FRAUDULENTLY COLLECTING SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS ON THAT MAN FOR SIX YEARS. WE TALKED TO A LOCAL PROFESSOR AT PARK UNIVERSITY WHO’S AN EXPERT ON INVESTIGATIONS. SHE SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKES THESE KINDS OF CRIMES VERY SERIOUS. ANYTHING FROM IDENTITY THEFT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST BASICALLY STEALING FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THESE ARE FELONY CHARGES. THESE ARE VERY, VERY SERIOUS. SO THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A CITATION BY ANY MEANS. AND DR. CARMEN OUT HERE ALSO TELLING ME TODAY THAT THESE TYPES OF INVESTIGA ATIONS WHERE INVESTIGATORS MIGHT HAVE TO GO BACK YEARS AND YEARS TO BUILD PROBABLE CAUSE. WELL, THEY CAN TAKE MONTHS, MAYBE EVEN YEARS TO COMPLETE. LIVE IN OVERLAND PARK MATT EVANS, NBC NIGHTLY NEWS. AND NOW WE DID CONFIRM WITH THE U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE IN CAN IS THAT RIGHT

The Social Security Administration is investigating after a body was found inside an Overland Park home that was there for years. The body was discovered inside a home near 99th Terrace and Quivira in October 2022. Overland Park told KMBC the investigation was initially worked as a suspicious death. The Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office could not determine the exact age of the man. It was later determined the man died of natural causes in 2016. The Social Security Administration took over a criminal investigation, beginning to investigate whether or not someone was collecting Social Security checks for six years. A Park University professor told KMBC the government takes these types of cases very seriously and charges would depend on the severity. "Of course a lot of it will be tied to the values," said Dr. Dianna Carmenaty, a criminal justice professor from Park University. "How long has this person been taking money from the government and often times we find in those types of cases we're going back years and years and years. So, we may be talking about several hundred thousand dollars."KMBC is still working to get answers about the specifics of that investigation from federal investigators. No charges have been filed in the case.The U.S. Attorney's District of Kansas also said no indictments have been filed.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. —

The Social Security Administration is investigating after a body was found inside an Overland Park home that was there for years.

The body was discovered inside a home near 99th Terrace and Quivira in October 2022.

Overland Park told KMBC the investigation was initially worked as a suspicious death.

The Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office could not determine the exact age of the man. It was later determined the man died of natural causes in 2016.

The Social Security Administration took over a criminal investigation, beginning to investigate whether or not someone was collecting Social Security checks for six years.

A Park University professor told KMBC the government takes these types of cases very seriously and charges would depend on the severity.

"Of course a lot of it will be tied to the values," said Dr. Dianna Carmenaty, a criminal justice professor from Park University. "How long has this person been taking money from the government and often times we find in those types of cases we're going back years and years and years. So, we may be talking about several hundred thousand dollars."

KMBC is still working to get answers about the specifics of that investigation from federal investigators.

No charges have been filed in the case.

The U.S. Attorney's District of Kansas also said no indictments have been filed.

Body found in Overland Park home was there for years, Social Security Administration investigating case

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