Georgia Man Reportedly Kept Aunt's Decomposing Body For 1 Month

A Georgia man was charged with covering up his aunt's death after her body was found decomposing in her bed, according to reports. Elizabeth Stewart, 88, reportedly died in her apartment of natural causes, but her body remained in her bed for a month.

Stewart's nephew Charles Frederick Peters, 37, was arrested by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office Tuesday on allegations of concealing her death. The pair lived together at the Emory Square apartment in Decatur, Georgia.

The property manager, Vincent Rodriguez, first discovered Stewart's body when he went to deliver an eviction notice Friday. Stewart had failed to pay her rent for three months.

The front door was locked. Rodriguez noticed the rear sliding door was open and used it to slip into the apartment, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday. Reportedly smelling a foul odor from the rear bedroom, Rodriguez immediately alerted the local authorities.

"He wasn't able to get into the door," Shiera Campbell, a representative of the DeKalb County Police Department, told WSB-TV Wednesday. "So, that's when he contacted police."

Air freshener bottles and scented candles were seen throughout the apartment, and police say they were used to cover up the smell from Stewart's decomposing body, according to a report obtained by the Decatur Patch. Stewart was found by police with a towel over her head while the rest of her body was covered by a sheet, according to WSB-TV.

Many close to the situation had speculated that something was wrong for weeks, but DeKalb County Police Officer C.M. Delon told AJC Tuesday: "It was obvious that someone was still residing in the apartment."

The apartment's sink was filled with dirty dishes, the power remained on and the computer was on, according to Officer Delon.

Peters is being held at the DeKalb County Jail. The motive for Peter's crime has not been confirmed at this time.