Kentucky Man Found at Buffalo Wild Wings After Mother’s Body Lay in Bed for 4 Months, Police Say

A Kentucky man was arrested at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant after authorities discovered his mother’s severely decomposed body in her bed, where it had allegedly remained for more than four months. The discovery came after the man reportedly told relatives that his mother had died only about a week earlier, prompting a welfare check that uncovered a far longer and more troubling timeline.

John Carroll, 56, is facing multiple charges in connection with the case in Paintsville, Kentucky. According to Law&Crime, the victim was identified as Patty Carroll, whose body was discovered inside the family home on Andrea Circle. Investigators have not yet released her age or determined the cause of her death.

The case began to come to light on October 17, 2026, when John Carroll was reportedly involved in a vehicle crash. During the aftermath, family members learned that he had said his mother had died approximately a week earlier and that her body was still lying in her bed. Concerned by the situation, relatives contacted authorities and requested a welfare check at the residence.

Two days later, on October 19, officers with the Paintsville Police Department arrived at the home. Inside, they found Patty’s body in an advanced state of decomposition. Police determined that the condition of the remains indicated she had likely been dead for substantially longer than the week John had reportedly described—potentially more than four months. The discovery raised serious questions about why her death had gone unreported for so long.

Authorities reportedly believe John had been his mother’s primary caregiver. Despite the condition in which her body was found, investigators have not publicly established how she died or whether anyone else was involved. The absence of an officially released cause of death means that key details about the circumstances surrounding Patty’s final days remain unknown.

John was later located at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant and arrested by police. According to jail records cited by Law&Crime, he faces charges including abuse of a corpse, failure to report a death and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Officials have not publicly explained all the circumstances behind the forged-instrument charge, and the investigation remains ongoing. Police have also indicated that additional charges may be possible as they continue reviewing the evidence.

The case has left troubling questions about the months during which Patty’s death allegedly went unreported. Investigators must still determine the circumstances of her death, why authorities were not notified sooner and whether any further offenses occurred during that period. For now, John Carroll remains in custody at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center as the investigation continues.

Source: Law&Crime