In a tragic culmination of events, police in Conover, North Carolina, uncovered the body of 54-year-old Richard Morris in a shallow grave in the backyard of Robert Vaughn Pippin and his mother, Emily Shook Pippin, in September of 2022.
Peering mere inches beneath the soil, investigators discovered Morris’ body, and later in October of the same year, Robert Pippin admitted to WSOC that Morris had overdosed in his basement and that he had since buried the man in the backyard, going so far as to also withdraw Morris’ disability payments.
The Conover Police Department (CPD) have since arrested Robert and Emily Pippin, serving their indictments to them last Friday on charges of felony concealment or failure to report a death.
The arrests came following the CPD receiving an autopsy report from the North Carolina State Medical Examiner’s Office in April that revealed Methamphetamine toxicity as the cause of death.
Having posted the $10,000 and $1,000 secured bonds, respectively, Robert and Emily Pippin have since been released from custody and appeared in court on Monday.
The incident has left those who knew Morris deeply saddened, including Angelica Hall, a friend of the deceased, who expressed her confusion over why Pippin did not contact anyone about Morris’ death after it occurred, referring to him as a “good man” and someone you can rely on.
Though an indictment may bring some closure to members of Morris’ community, the sorrow of his passing will linger.