Two charged with killing relative for insurance
A father and son have been charged with killing a man who was their brother and uncle in a scheme to fraudulently collect life insurance, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams announced Thursday.
A father and son have been charged with killing a man who was their brother and uncle in a scheme to fraudulently collect life insurance, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams announced Thursday.
Edward R. Kirby, 59, and Edward A. Kirby, 34, delivered methadone pills to George Kirby, who was ill and housebound at his Frankford home, Williams said. Kirby later died of methadone intoxication.
The father and son, of Modena Park, were arrested Wednesday and remain in custody.
"This is a case you almost couldn't make up," Williams said at a news conference. "Like a bad film noir movie of the 1950s."
The victim's son contacted a friend who is a police officer after he overheard the two men plotting. He later told authorities the conversation unfolded as follows:
"Go down there and kill him. Make it look like an accident. Just put a pillow over him and smother him," the younger Kirby said.
"It's not that easy," the father replied.
"I don't care what you do, just take care of it. He's your brother, you do it. The quicker you do this, the quicker we can get the money," said Edward A. Kirby.
Although warned by his son of the duo's plans, the victim did not take the threat seriously, Williams said.
In fact, the two had taken out 10 life-insurance policies on George Kirby, most of them worth $15,000 to $30,000, the district attorney said. The relatively low individual payouts meant that insurers would not summon the ill man for a medical examination.
He was 64 when he died in 2014.
The father and son have been charged with homicide, conspiracy, forgery, and related offenses.
George Kirby shared a home with his 84-year-old aunt and caretaker, and was being treated for multiple medical conditions. He lived month-to-month on Social Security payments, unable to work, authorities said.
George Kirby developed a tolerance and addictive craving for strong medications, and had a history of drug abuse, Williams said. He had three convictions for drug possession.
Edward R. Kirby, also a drug user, with his son submitted false insurance applications to collect more than $100,000, the district attorney said. He said the son portrayed himself as the victim when contacting insurers, using a text-only IP Relay System, generally employed by people who struggle to speak or hear.
It's unclear how George Kirby consumed the drugs that killed him, Williams said. The two men may have hidden them, or they may have counted on his cravings to do their work, he said.
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