Whatcom deputies arrest a man for stealing a dead man’s car and money in Acme
A man who found and left a dead man south of Acme in late November, then allegedly stole his laptop, vehicle and more than $10,000 from his account was arrested Wednesday, according to a Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office press release.
Kevin Kyle Wood, 34, of Mount Vernon was arrested Nov. 27 on suspicion of residential burglary, first-degree identity theft, first-degree theft, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle and second-degree possession of stolen property.
Wood appeared in Whatcom County Superior Court Nov. 27. He is currently being held in the Whatcom County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail, according to jail records. Wood’s arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 6.
Investigators believe Wood and the victim did not know each other and there’s no evidence the two met previously, according to Chief Deputy Kevin Hester with the sheriff’s office.
“According to Wood’s admission, it was more of a ‘crime of opportunity’ when he came across the residence and realized the occupant was deceased,” Hester said.
The sheriff’s office declined to release the dead man’s name.
On Nov. 25, deputies and detectives with the sheriff’s office were called to 4800 block of Park Road near Highway 9 south of Acme for the report of a suspicious death. Family members had discovered a man in his 70s dead in the carport at his residence, according to the release.
When deputies arrived, they noticed the man’s home appeared to be ransacked and numerous items were stolen, including the man’s 1998 Subaru Outback, the release states.
The investigation revealed the man had been dead for several weeks and his death appeared to be from natural causes or a medical emergency, which was later confirmed by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner’s office, the release states. There was no sign of foul play involved in the man’s death, the release states.
Earlier in the day, the man’s family member found numerous fraudulent withdrawals from the man’s bank account. More than $10,000 had been taken from the man’s account between Nov. 15 and Nov. 25, eventually overdrawing the account, the release states.
The withdrawals ranged from several hundred dollars to more than $1,000 at a time, occurring at large box stores, ATM machines and casinos and gas stations in Skagit and Snohomish counties, the release states.
When a family member tried to call the man, his phone was answered by another man they didn’t recognize. Family members then went to the man’s house on Park Road, where they found him dead in the carport, the release states.
Later that evening on Nov. 25, detectives learned the man’s stolen Subaru had been seen at the Swinomish Casino in Anacortes. Surveillance footage showed a man and woman arrive, then leave in the vehicle, the release states.
The man in the video was later identified as Wood.
On Nov. 26, detectives tracked Wood’s activity through bank statements and matched it with surveillance footage of Wood making the fraudulent transactions, the release states. Wood was taken into custody later that evening after he was stopped driving the stolen Subaru in Anacortes, the release states.
In an interview with law enforcement, Wood admitted to using the man’s stolen debit card at numerous locations, and estimated he spent around $7,000 of the man’s money. Wood also admitted to going to the man’s residence on Park Road, finding the man dead in the carport, and then stealing his wallet, laptop and Subaru, according to the release.
In total, Wood allegedly made 64 fraudulent charges with the man’s stolen debit card, the release states.
Detectives are continuing to investigate the fraudulent bank charges and are looking into surveillance footage in regards to additional charges for Wood or others involved in the incident, the release states.
This story was originally published December 2, 2019 at 1:33 PM.
