In Colorado, James Agnew has been sentenced, while Suzanne Agnew’s case remains active after the discovery of James O’Neill’s remains.
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — The criminal case over a body found in a Lakewood condominium now has two paths: a prison sentence for James Agnew and a pending prosecution against Suzanne Agnew.
James David Agnew, 56, pleaded guilty in April to tampering with a deceased body and identity theft after investigators said he helped conceal the death of James O’Neill, 62, and used O’Neill’s identity while Social Security benefits were spent. He was sentenced to five years in prison on each count, with the terms running together. The judge credited him with 276 days in jail. Suzanne Ruth Agnew, 58, has pleaded not guilty to related charges, including tampering with a deceased body, abuse of a corpse and theft. Her next pretrial conference is scheduled for May 26, 2026, in Jefferson County.
The split in the cases leaves one defendant convicted and another still moving through the court system. Prosecutors agreed to drop five felony counts against James Agnew as part of his plea deal: abuse of a corpse, theft, attempted theft, another identity theft count and unauthorized use of a financial device. The agreement resolved his exposure without a trial. Suzanne Agnew has not admitted guilt, and the allegations against her remain accusations. The filings describe many of her statements to police, but those statements have not led to a conviction. Prosecutors have not charged either Agnew with homicide, and the public record does not show a final cause or manner of O’Neill’s death.
The cases grew out of a July 3, 2025, search at the couple’s home in the 3400 block of South Ammons Street. Detectives went there after a welfare-check request from O’Neill’s brother failed to confirm that O’Neill was alive. During an earlier visit, officers had spoken to a man who identified himself as James and said he did not want contact with his family. The brother later reviewed police video and said the man was not O’Neill. Police then questioned the account they had been given and returned to the home with a warrant. When detectives arrived, Suzanne Agnew told them they would find O’Neill’s body inside, according to court documents.
The search revealed O’Neill’s remains on the floor of a bedroom, beneath or near a deflated air mattress. Investigators said Suzanne Agnew described a long relationship among the three adults. She told detectives that she, her husband and O’Neill had lived together for years and had been involved in a three-way intimate relationship. Both Agnews said they woke one morning in December 2023 and found O’Neill dead. James Agnew told investigators there had “probably” been drug use the night before. The Agnews suggested the death may have been tied to health problems or drug use. Authorities have not publicly announced that O’Neill died from violence, and no homicide charge has been filed.
The affidavit also described what investigators say happened after the death. Suzanne Agnew told police she initially did not call authorities because she was not ready to “give up” Jim. She also said several times that failing to report the death was wrong. Police said she told them the body was covered after about a week because Chihuahuas in the home began chewing on him. That statement supported the allegations tied to abuse of a corpse and tampering with a deceased body. Prosecutors will have to prove any remaining allegations against her in court unless the case is resolved another way. For James Agnew, similar conduct is now part of the conviction behind his prison sentence.
The financial allegations became the second major pillar of the case. Investigators said monthly Social Security payments continued to be deposited into O’Neill’s account after the reported December 2023 death. Court documents said $17,406 was spent after he died. Surveillance video showed James Agnew using O’Neill’s debit card at a 7-Eleven, according to investigators. Agnew admitted using the card and said he had long known the personal identification number. Police said he also acknowledged that access to O’Neill’s account was a consideration in not reporting the death. Those facts led to the identity theft conviction and had also supported dismissed counts that accused him of theft and unauthorized use of a financial device.
O’Neill’s family inquiry placed pressure on the alleged cover story before the body was found. His brother contacted police because he had not heard from O’Neill and needed to tell him about inherited money. After the first welfare check, the brother contacted Suzanne Agnew directly. Court documents said she told him O’Neill was beside her but did not want to talk. She gave him a checking account number and O’Neill’s Social Security number. When the brother said O’Neill would need to appear in person at a bank, she stopped communicating, investigators said. Police also said she had previously told them O’Neill moved away years earlier after meeting a foreign woman online.
That sequence gives Suzanne Agnew’s pending case a different shape from her husband’s completed one. Prosecutors may focus on alleged statements, the condition of the body, the failure to report the death and any spending they say she helped carry out. Defense issues could center on what she knew, what she did and whether the state can prove each charge beyond a reasonable doubt. The court record already shows that James Agnew accepted guilt on two counts, but it does not decide Suzanne Agnew’s liability. Her not-guilty plea means the case remains open and subject to hearings, motions or a later trial date.
The court cases also leave a human question at the center: how O’Neill died and why his death stayed hidden so long. Investigators have reported what the Agnews said about finding him dead in December 2023, but the coroner’s final public conclusion has not been reported. The case moved from family concern to police welfare check, from disputed identity to bank records, and from search warrant to prison sentence. It now continues through the remaining prosecution. The next date on the calendar is Suzanne Agnew’s May 26, 2026, pretrial conference.
James Agnew is serving his five-year sentence after his guilty plea. Suzanne Agnew remains presumed innocent in her pending case, and Jefferson County court proceedings are set to continue May 26, 2026.
Author note: Last updated Sunday, May 17, 2026.