The last time anyone saw 97-year-old Leonie Shannon was in late December. In April, police were finally called to her Phoenix-area home for a wellness check.
Her son, who was her caretaker, told authorities she had walked away from the house in the suburb of San Tan Valley four months prior, and it wasn’t the first time she had disappeared.
Police became suspicious of Daniel Shannon. They said his story changed each time he was interviewed. On Wednesday, they said, he admitted his mother died in December and he buried her in the backyard.
His motive? Police say he told them he was an inventor and needed to keep getting her Social Security and Veterans Administration checks to pay for a patent.
Pinal County Jail records show Shannon, who is in his 60s, was booked for suspicion of fraud and improper disposal of a body. It is unclear whether he has an attorney.
“Our detectives did a great job on this case, and in bringing Mr. Daniels to justice,” Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb said. “These types of cases are especially troublesome when the crimes involve family members.”
Leonie Shannon’s remains were recovered Wednesday.
The county medical examiner will positively identify the remains and determine the cause of death, the sheriff’s office said.
According to the Office of the Inspector General, Americans shouldn’t ignore fraud, abuse, or waste against Social Security.
Ex-Chicago Police Commander Guilty of Fraud
A former Chicago police commander who had a good reputation for combating crime in one of the city’s most violent neighborhoods has pleaded guilty to stealing Social Security benefits, according to The Associated Press.
Kenneth Johnson was accused of stealing about $363,000 in payments intended for his mother, who died in May 1994. His continued collection of the benefit was discovered by the Social Security Administration in November 2017.
With his guilty plea Tuesday to one count of theft of government funds, Johnson faces about two years in prison. U.S. District Judge Manish Shah set sentencing for Sept. 11.
According to his plea agreement, Johnson had a joint bank account with his mother into which Social Security funds were electronically deposited. Johnson failed to notify the government of his mother’s death.
Johnson was a 32-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department. He was commander of the Englewood District before retiring in August.
Epoch Times reporter Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
