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The story of an Ohio farmer who spent six years living in an RV with his deceased wife has captured the attention of locals. The shocking details, reported by Cleveland 19, paint a surreal picture of Robert Rea's unconventional lifestyle on Nettle Creek Farm & Nursery in Salem, Ohio.
Late December marked the passing of 70-year-old Robert Rea, whose son, John, recently disclosed the chilling truth to authorities. The Columbiana County Sheriff's Office received a report from John, 29, revealing that his father had been residing with his dead wife inside their RV.
Robert died inside his farmhouse on the sprawling 40-acre property. The initial report to authorities hinted at an even darker secret, as John informed them about another body on the premises. A thorough search proved elusive until Sheriff Brian McLaughlin and a fellow officer stumbled upon an RV discreetly parked behind the barn.
John told investigators that his father died on Dec. 31 and had been living inside the trailer with the body of his dead wife, Peggy Rea. Their son said she died in 2017 at age 64.
According to WFMJ 21, the Sheriff's office disclosed that Robert had been single-handedly tending to Peggy's remains for the last six years. The sheriff noted that her body was found encircled by herbs, swathed in a blanket, and remarkably well-preserved considering the duration since her passing.
"I've been doing this for almost 34 years and never seen anything like it," Sheriff McLaughlin told WFMJ 21. "I have never seen a body that has been gone that long and still that intact. We've had bodies that have been gone for much, much less time and had next to nothing left."