Married Couple Accused Of Living With Threesome Partner's Corpse For Over A Year

Police say a married couple in Colorado confessed to living for more than a year with the body of a man they had been romantically involved with. They reportedly hid his remains after their pet dogs began ‘chewing’ on him.

James David Agnew, 55, and his wife, Suzanne Ruth Agnew, 57, are accused of keeping the corpse of a man believed to be the third person in their long-term threesome relationship inside their Lakewood home for about 18 months.

The disturbing case came to light when police were asked to perform a welfare check on 62-year-old James O’Neill. His family told authorities they hadn’t seen him in person since 2019 and hadn’t heard from him at all since 2021.

When Lakewood officers arrived at the house, they spoke to a man who called himself “James.” According to the affidavit, it appeared he was trying to give the impression that he was James O’Neill.

Police later confirmed the man was actually James Agnew and officially listed O’Neill as missing.

When investigators returned, they said the Agnews gave conflicting accounts about O’Neill. They claimed he had only stayed with them briefly before leaving after meeting “some foreign woman online.”

James Agnew was reportedly caught on CCTV using O'Neill's card Lakewood Police Department

Authorities say the couple provided O’Neill’s bank details and Social Security number to his brother, claiming it was for an “inheritance that needed to be deposited.” But communication allegedly stopped the moment they learned O’Neill would need to be there in person for the transaction.

When his brother checked the account, he saw it was still being used regularly. Records showed a monthly Social Security deposit of $967, an overdraft of about $200, and multiple ATM withdrawals.

Surveillance footage from a 7-Eleven where O’Neill’s debit card had been used allegedly revealed James Agnew was the one making the transactions.

After James Agnew was taken into custody and a search warrant was issued, police say Suzanne confessed they would find O’Neill’s body in the home, “indicating he was deceased,” according to an affidavit.

"Detectives searching the residence did find the body of a deceased male, presumed to be James O'Neill." the affidavit stated.

She reportedly told officers that the three had been in a “three way relationship” for years, and referred to the man as Jim, up until December 2023.

After his death, she admitted they covered his body with a deflated air mattress to keep their chihuahuas from gnawing at the remains.

She acknowledged that failing to report his death was wrong, but said she didn’t want to “give up” the man they had been with for years.

Investigators believe O’Neill likely died due to a medical problem and/or drug use. Authorities say the Agnews are not suspected of killing him.

James allegedly admitted to using O’Neill’s bank card after his death.

Police estimate the couple spent about $17,406 of his Social Security benefits during the 18 months they kept his death a secret.

The affidavit also noted: "James had less to say about Jim's passing but provided a similar account."

Suzanne Agnew confessed to having covered O'Neill's body Jefferson County Sheriff's Office

"He didn't remember exactly when Jim died but said he recalled it and could tell he was deceased. He didn't initially provide reasoning as to why the police were not contacted but later told me he was aware of the SSI income that went into Jim's account and said that was definitely a consideration in deciding whether or not to report his death."

The couple remain in custody and are facing multiple charges, including tampering with a deceased human body and abuse of a corpse, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

James has also been charged with theft by larceny of more than $2,000, unauthorized use of a financial transaction device over $2,000, and two counts of bringing contraband into a correctional facility, Law & Crime reported.

Suzanne faces charges of theft between $5,000 and $20,000, as well as unauthorized use of a financial transaction device in the same amount range.