Johnsontown Police officers have arrested one of two female suspects accused of hiding their roommate’s dead body in a bedroom for a whole week while they hosted parties at the same residence.
Stephanie Hillburn, 43, was arrested and charged with the concealment of a deceased corpse while another suspect, Deborah Elgin, was already in police custody for unrelated offenses.
The two women stand accused of hiding the death of 62-year-old Patricia Barter who vanished for a week as her roommates, Hillburn and Elgin, hosted parties.
Police received a tip on Valentine’s Day requesting a welfare check on Barter’s safety. Questioning the two residents, they noticed that the women were nervous and went to conduct a search of the home.
The body of Barter was then discovered in a bedroom with signs suggesting her death dated for at least one week before the finding.
Detectives believe Barter died from a drug overdose. Hillburn and Elgin removed her body to the bedroom “in an attempt to conceal Barter’s corpse from being discovered by guests.”
