A Marine veteran whose physique was discovered stuffed in a New Jersey closet for greater than eight months shall be buried with full army honors subsequent week.
Steven M. Blankenship, 58, of Fairfield Township in Cumberland County, is accused of hiding cousin Michael S. Blankenship’s physique after the 72-year-old died final yr, in response to court docket paperwork.
The defendant then collected his cousin’s advantages to pay his personal payments and used the useless man’s bank card, police say.
Steven M. Blankenship’s public defender didn’t reply to a request for remark.
The elder Blankenship died following a quick sickness, in response to his obituary. He’s survived by a number of cousins, buddies and neighbors.
He served with the U.S. Marine Corps and was honorably discharged in 1970.
Blankenship labored as a forklift operator earlier than retiring with a incapacity in 2001, his obituary stated. He lived on the residence the place his physique was discovered for greater than 40 years.
A public graveside funeral service for Michael Blankenship is scheduled for Monday at Centerton Free Will Baptist Cemetery in Pittsgrove in Cumberland County, in response to his obituary.
Burial with army honors will observe the ceremony and Blankenship shall be buried subsequent to his mom.
The investigation into his dying started April 14 when New Jersey State Police troopers responded to Evergreen Estates, previously Ideas Trailer Park, in Fairfield for a well-being examine at Michael Blankenship’s residence, in response to police.
When nobody answered the door, troopers walked to the rear of the trailer and observed a powerful odor “in step with decomposition,” police stated.
They kicked open the door to analyze and located Blankenship’s physique wrapped in three layers of plastic and stashed in a rear bed room closet. The closet door knob had been eliminated and the door was sealed with electrical tape, police wrote in an affidavit of possible trigger filed with the fees.
Troopers discovered a handwritten observe within the trailer indicating the person died July 27, 2024, from “dementia-related causes.”
Police stated they imagine the observe was written by Steven Blankenship. It described how the defendant left the person’s physique on the ground for 2 days earlier than sealing him within the closet.
It additionally stated the defendant continued paying payments utilizing his cousin’s earnings due to his personal bodily and monetary decline, police stated.
Steven Blankenship hid his cousin’s dying so he may obtain the person’s Division of Labor advantages and stole almost $14,000 from the state over the course of eight months, police stated.
He’s additionally accused of utilizing his cousin’s bank card to get money and purchase gadgets.
Steven Blankenship was indicted lately on prices of second-degree desecrating human stays, third-degree counts of theft by deception and fraudulent use of a bank card, and fourth-degree tampering with proof.
He stays in jail pending future hearings and is scheduled to return to court docket subsequent month for a pre-indictment listening to.
Our journalism wants your help. Please subscribe right now to NJ.com.
©2025 Advance Native Media LLC. Go to nj.com. Distributed by Tribune Content material Company, LLC.
© Copyright 2025 nj.com. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
