PHOENIX — An Ahwatukee couple says they have run out of options trying to escape a foul odor that has plagued their neighborhood for years—and most recently intensified after their neighbor was found dead in her backyard.
Al and Michelle Daub moved to their Ahwatukee Foothills neighborhood four years ago, believing they were settling into a peaceful community. Instead, they quickly discovered their next-door neighbor, a woman in her late 60s to early 70s, was living in hoarding conditions.
“It started with a mound of used food cans crawling with cockroaches and scorpions,” Michelle recalled. “Over the years, it’s progressed to piles of food, quilts, and blankets.”
The couple said the situation reached a horrifying level in late July, when their neighbor—who they say struggled with severe mental health issues and had no family in the area—died in her backyard. Phoenix Fire crews discovered her body on July 22, the Daubs said…