Suzanne Agnew Sentenced to Five Years for Hiding Lover's Body
Lakewood woman pleads guilty to tampering with a corpse and identity theft after concealing James O'Neill's remains for nearly a year.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
Suzanne Agnew received a five-year prison sentence on Monday in the Colorado Department of Corrections. The 58-year-old Lakewood resident pleaded guilty to two felony counts of tampering with a deceased human body and identity theft. Judge Meegan Miloud of the Jefferson County District Court imposed the same term previously given to Agnew's husband, James Agnew, who was sentenced in April.
The couple concealed the body of 64-year-old James O'Neill under an air mattress in their home in the 3400 block of South Ammon Street. O'Neill died around December 3, 2023. The Agnews secured the body with tape and maintained the deception by answering phone calls and emails in his name. They used his identity to access Social Security payments and make purchases with his debit card.
Police began their investigation in June 2025 after O'Neill's brother requested a welfare check. The family had not heard from O'Neill since 2021. Officers located the body during a search of the residence. The Agnews initially claimed O'Neill did not want contact with his relatives. They later stated that he had moved and that they did not know his new location.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Trevor Moritzky described the case as a calculated, monthslong effort to conceal the death and exploit the victim financially. "This was a sustained violation of law, decency, and humanity," Moritzky said in a statement. The judge characterized Agnew's actions as "morally reprehensible," according to the First Judicial District Attorney's Office.
Agnew appeared at the sentencing hearing virtually. She stated that she deeply regretted "the hurt, damage, and uncertainty that my actions have caused." Her attorney was not immediately available for comment. The family of James O'Neill addressed the court in a statement, asking that he be remembered as a person rather than defined by the discovery of his remains.
"Jim was not just a body under an air mattress. He was a man who loved, who laughed, and whose presence is deeply missed by those who truly cared for him," the family wrote. They added, "She did not just hide his body. She stole our chance to grieve him."
