Eagle Police have arrested a 65-year-old man who did not report his mother’s death for what could be several months – or even longer.
William R. Rhoton is being held in the Ada County Jail on a felony count of Failure to Notify or Delay Notification of Death to Law Enforcement and/or the Coroner on a $300,000 bond.
Investigators began their investigation Wednesday after being contacted by a third party, who told them it had been years since anyone had seen 96-year-old Barbara Rhoton. Eagle Police did a welfare check at Barbara Rhoton’s home that day but did not find her there. They did talk to William Rhoton, who lives in the same home. He indicated Barbara was visiting friends in another state.
Detectives continued to investigate and developed evidence that Barbara was not in another state but had passed away at several months before.
Eagle Police and Ada County Sheriff’s Office deputies served a search warrant on the family home Thursday, and developed evidence that Barbara Rhoton’s body had recently been moved to another location. Investigators located the body in an otherwise empty SUV about 1.5 miles away.
Detectives arrested William Rhoton on the failure to notify charge and booked him into the Ada County Jail.
Ada County Coroner’s Office officials are doing an autopsy on Barbara Rhoton but the results had not yet been completed by late Friday afternoon.
Rhoton made his initial court appearance Friday afternoon. A judge set his bond at $300,000.
The felony charge of failure to notify is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.