A disturbing case out of Alabama has led to the arrest of a 54-year-old woman who allegedly let a man’s dead body lie in her bedroom for up to two weeks without informing the police.
Even more shocking — this is the second time in six months that someone has died inside her apartment. Authorities say the woman tried to cover up the incident, leading to criminal charges.
Alabama Woman Arrested After Man Found Decomposing in Apartment
Valerie A. Bonner, 54, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. According to police, she allowed a deceased man to remain in her apartment bedroom for possibly two weeks without calling 911 or any other authorities.
Police believe the man died of a drug overdose, but his name has not been shared with the public yet. Bonner admitted that she knew the man was dead but didn’t tell police because she feared getting into legal trouble.
How Police Found Out
Officers from the Foley Police Department went to Bonner’s home in the Alison Pointe Apartments after a neighbor requested a welfare check. When they arrived around 10:50 a.m., they found the man’s decomposing body in the bedroom. The smell and condition of the body suggested that he had been dead for several days.
Lieutenant Tony Fuqua said Bonner admitted she didn’t report the death because she was scared of getting into trouble. Instead, she let the body remain in the room and started trying to hide evidence.
Suspect Tried to Hide Victim’s Identity
Bonner allegedly threw away the dead man’s wallet and phone in a dumpster to make it harder for the police to identify him. This act led to the second charge of tampering with physical evidence. Prosecutors said her actions showed a complete lack of respect for the man’s life and were deeply offensive to any reasonable person.
Not the First Death in the Apartment
Police also revealed that Bonner’s husband died from an overdose in the same apartment just six months earlier. He, too, was found dead inside the home. Authorities are now considering whether Bonner could face additional charges related to that earlier case as well.
Charges and Bail
Bonner was taken to Baldwin County Jail. Her bond was set at $5,500 — $5,000 for the abuse of a corpse charge and $500 for tampering with evidence. Officials have not yet announced the date of her next court appearance.
This shocking case has raised serious questions about how two people died from suspected overdoses in the same home within six months — and why the latest death went unreported for so long. Authorities are continuing their investigation, and more charges could follow.
Cases like this show how dangerous and tragic drug use can be, especially when paired with neglect or fear of legal consequences. Law enforcement stresses that reporting a death is not just a legal duty — it’s a moral one.
