A woman who answered a Craigslist ad to be a Tennessee man’s caregiver is a person of interest in his death after his remains were found along a highway, authorities say.
Pamela Bingham was reported missing at the same time as Ellis Vogt in July, but she was later found driving his van in Guymon, Oklahoma.
A utility worker had found the remains on Feb. 2 near Laconia in Tennessee. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that the remains belonged to Vogt, according to WMC.
Vogt, who was 59, had previously suffered a stroke, was partially disabled and took daily medications, according to the sheriff’s office.
“It’s scary is what it is, because I’ve been out here 30 years and I have never been afraid to be out here,” neighbor Shirley Lenti told the station.
Authorities say a friend of Vogt’s family visited him in July and Bingham, known as “Jaynie,” was there, according to a police affadavit obtained by the station. That was the last time he was seen.
Bingham has been held in Fayette County for six months and was charged with stealing the van, according to WMC.
“We really don’t know what to think,” Aubrey Davidson told the station. “This is an old country town and nothing like that has ever happened out here.”
Local residents believe that Bingham had an accomplice because of the size of the task of disposing of Vogt’s body, according to the station. Vogt was 6 feet 2 inches and weighed nearly 200 pounds.
“I just don’t think she could have done all that and left him up there by herself,” a resident told the station.
With News Wire Services
