http://news.enquirer.com/.../601100356




Woman sat dead at home 2½ years
Family kept TV on for mummified grandma

By Christy Arnold
Enquirer staff writer




MADISONVILLE - Johannas Pope didn't want to be buried, believing that she would come back to life.

Pope died at her home here at age 61 on Aug. 29, 2003. A towel had been placed around her neck to keep her cool on that 87-degree summer day. She wore a white gown while sitting in a chair in an upstairs room, in front of a television that played as family members went about their lives downstairs.

She remained there, according to her wishes, for almost 2½ years.

"Don't show my body when I'm dead," Hamilton County's coroner, Dr. O'dell Owens, said Monday when explaining Pope's wishes. "Don't bury me. I'm coming back."

Owens called a news conference Monday to explain Pope's demise, the unusual state of her body and how family members regulated heating and air conditioning as they attempted to preserve her remains.

Cincinnati police found the mummified grandmother Wednesday in her two-story, peach-colored home in the 5500 block of Davies Place.

Living in the 75-year-old house with the corpse were her daughter, Lisa Pope, a granddaughter who was born three months after her death, and Pope's caretaker, Kathy Painter, investigators say.

Family members are not being charged with a crime at this point.

Efforts to reach them Monday were unsuccessful. No one came to the door at the house or answered repeated telephone calls.

Only a handful of loved ones knew Pope had died and that her body remained upstairs, Owens said.

Family members kept a window air conditioner running to keep Pope's body cool - until about a month ago, when it broke, Owens said. Heating vents were covered during winter.

Life continued as Pope had wanted.

Friends and relatives who visited were told Pope was upstairs, ill, Owens said. Some yelled "hello" up the stairs.

The deception lasted 2½ years.

Pope's sister, Deborah Gaston, hadn't seen her sister in years, Owens said. Gaston called Cincinnati police Wednesday and reported a dead body at the home.

Inside the home, behind a basket blocking a door, police found Pope's remains.

"Standing outside, one could smell death," Owens said.

Some police wore masks because of the odor, Owens said.

"People who worked here have never seen this before," Owens said.

Pope's sister wasn't the first person to call police.

A woman from Pope's church called police on Halloween, after hearing third-hand that Pope was dead inside the home.

Police investigated, but they didn't have enough information to go into the house, Owens said.

The call from Pope's sister was enough, and police found Pope's body dressed in the white gown, seated in the chair and in front of the television, which was turned on, Owens said.

Pope had lupus, but it was unknown Monday whether that contributed to her death.

The coroner said he found no signs of abuse or foul play. Little body tissue remained, making it difficult to determine the cause of death, he said.

Owens has collected some tissue to test for chemicals and diseases.

He said he might never know how Pope died because of the body's condition.

Owens' office is working with police and prosecutors to determine whether any crimes were committed.

The caretaker and family members did not benefit in any way by keeping Pope's body.

"There was no money involved," Owens said. "There was no personal gain."

Pope's body did not appear to be abused, Owens said.

Neighbors had no idea a dead woman was a resident on their street.

"You mean to tell me the whole time I've owned this house, she's been in there?" said Jeff Sklar, who bought a house nine months ago a few doors from Pope's.

Shon Ward's relatives live in several homes along Davies Place.

"It's scary," Ward said. "That's ridiculous. I never expected it. ... I never suspected anything. It's a quiet street."

That sounds like that William Faulkner story...

sounds creepy. but if thats what she wanted then thats what she wanted. i question the the fact that they would do this and there are children in the house. it had to affect them some kinda way.

I read this online this morning ... strange

The stench must have been horrific. I don't know how they tolerated it.

Strange situation indeed.

Nothinbutjoy said:

thats what i was thinking. and i'm sure since they lived there when they came outta the house the smell was in their clothes and hair

>>"It's scary," Ward said. "That's ridiculous. I never expected it. ... I never suspected anything. It's a quiet street."<<<


Dead people don't make a whole lot of noise.

Didnt anyone bother explaining to her that she wasn't going to come back to life?

i feel a lot better about my gym regimen all of a sudden.

newpower99 said:

Anxiety said:

I find it all a bit illogical Spock.

i want MY remains to be mummified and posed - waving and with a huge grin on my dead facw - atop that 'Calhoun Square' sign at hennepin and lake street in minneapolis.

i think i'll look just dandy

They kept the T.V on too.



I wonder if she had to watch the same channel for two years.

HAHAHA THATS AWESOME!!!!

BucketOfBouncyBalls said:

Oh my....

See? Old people get away with anything. Stealin. Runnin off at the mouth on some rude shit. Stinkin up a whole gated community with their dead body craziness. Somebody oughta do somethin.

pardonme4livin said:

This is identical to the story of the passing away of my Gran.

Except she never believed she was going to come back from the dead. She wasn't crazy! And as a result we buried her inside a week.

But apart from that, it's almost the same story! Spooky!

TheSmyrk said:

old dead lady!

BucketOfBouncyBalls said:

You need help young lady...

pardonme4livin said:

fathermcmeekle said:

I think that they were right to obey her last wishes. after all, she was right and and I bet she did come back to change the t.v channel, cos they wouldnt let her watch E.R.

LleeLlee said:

dang thats what i was thinking, i wonder if they at least left the remote in her hands

pardonme4livin said:

She's still damn hot, though. So...



I'LL ALLOW IT!

LleeLlee said:

You need SERIOUS help too...maybe you and Bouncy can get a group rate....

LleeLlee said:

LleeLlee said:

You wouldn't want to come back from the dead and inhabit your old body. She'll have been, at best, all dried out, and at worst, maggot-infested. Would make going to the shops a bit of a test.

brownsugar said:

When they took her dinner to her and left it on a tray, they would come back an hour later and say "not hungry dear? it's okay, I know you are watching your weight, you've lost so much, keep it up dearie."

fathermcmeekle said:

I saw a maggoty man in Sainsburys. You're just maggotist.

LleeLlee said:

it's important to maintain an active lifestyle - clearly, even if you're dead.