Couple Admits to Living with Threesome Partner’s Corpse for 18 Months

In Lakewood, Colorado, concerns about missing third partner James O’Neill led his brother to request a welfare check in June. Little did he know that what he would find was a corpse.

Official contact had ceased since 2021, and family members had not seen him since 2019. What officers found during that investigation unraveled a gruesome and unsettling truth.

Conflicting Stories and Hidden Remains of the Corpse

Detectives spoke with a man who identified himself as “James” during the initial visit, who was later confirmed to be James Agnew, the homeowner.

He claimed O’Neill had moved out years ago. The couple then stated varying accounts to investigators, including that O’Neill had gone overseas. Nonetheless, discrepancies in their stories raised red flags. Surveillance footage and banking records soon revealed ongoing activity on O’Neill’s debit card and continued deposits from his Social Security account despite his absence.

Confession from Inside the Home, the Corpse Was Always There

Acting on a search warrant, officers asked to enter the home again. Suzanne Agnew shocked investigators when she confirmed their worst suspicions: they had concealed James O’Neill’s body within their home. Police found a deceased male—believed to be O’Neill—covered by a deflated air mattress, an attempted barrier from their pets.

The body had reportedly been kept inside for approximately 18 months.

A Relationship Turns Morbid

Suzanne admitted that she, her husband James Agnew, and O’Neill were involved in a consensual threesome relationship. After O’Neill’s death in December 2023—likely from natural causes or drug-related complications—the couple chose not to report the death.

Suzanne said she hesitated to give up O’Neill, enacting a macabre form of denial by hiding his body and using layers of protection to insulate him from their pets.

James further admitted to using O’Neill’s card to access funds. The couple allegedly accessed around $17,406 from his Social Security account during the period—not a single withdrawal was innocent, but a calculated financial exploitation.

Charges Land the Couple Behind Bars

The Agnews now face serious criminal charges, including tampering with a deceased human body, abuse of a corpse, theft by larceny, and unauthorized use of a financial transaction device.

Additional counts related to bringing contraband into a correctional facility also apply to James. Both have been jailed without bail.

A Tale of Grief, Greed, and Denial

The case has drawn significant public reaction—ranging from horror to fascination—highlighting how grief, manipulation, and self-interest can drive unimaginable behavior. This disturbing tale pushes us to reflect on human relationships, moral boundaries, and how denial can distort reality.

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