A Cumberland County man confessed to hiding his Marine veteran cousin’s body in the closet of a mobile home for several months to lap up all the government benefits before law enforcement busted his scheme.
New Jersey man pleads guilty; expected to spend a decade behind bars
Steven M. Blankenship and Michael S. Blankenship lived in a trailer at Evergreen Estates in Fairfield. Steven was accused of hiding the body of Michael, a Marine veteran, after his death in July 2024 and collecting his state benefits for more than eight months.
A grand jury indicted the perpetrator in July 2025 on charges of second-degree desecrating human remains, third-degree theft by deception, third-degree theft by deception, third-degree fraudulent use of a credit card, and fourth-degree tampering with evidence.
Blankenship pleaded guilty to the deception and theft charges. In return, prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison sentence of ten years…