Alaska Woman Hides Husband's Body in Freezer for Years to Collect Benefits
Police in Alaska revealed that a woman hid her husband's body in a freezer for years while collecting his pensions and government benefits. The case was closed after both spouses passed away.
A shocking case in Alaska has revealed how a woman managed to conceal her husband's death for years while continuing to collect his government benefits and pensions. The gruesome discovery was made in July 2026 when a person clearing out the belongings of Cheryl Ann McDonald-Paschquan in Juneau after her death opened a locked chest freezer in the yard.
Inside the freezer, wrapped in a tarp, investigators found human remains. Subsequent forensic testing identified the deceased as Ross Anthony Paschquan, the woman's husband, who would have been 74 years old at the time of the discovery. Neighbors had previously been told that he had moved to a nursing facility outside the city due to severe health issues.
According to police findings, McDonald-Paschquan concealed her husband's death and continued filing for benefits in his name, including Social Security payments, pensions, and Alaska Permanent Fund dividends. Investigators estimate the remains were placed in the freezer between 2018 and 2025. Medical examiners determined that Paschquan died of natural causes related to cardiovascular disease, with no evidence of foul play.
In a bizarre twist, pension payments continued even after the wife's death in July 2025, with funds deposited into the account until the remains were discovered in July 2026. Because the exact time of death remains unknown, the total amount fraudulently collected could not be determined. The Juneau Police Department announced the closure of the investigation on October 2, as the sole suspect is deceased.
