Missouri Man Hid Uncle’s Corpse in a Trash Can for Six Years While Stealing Over $650,000 in Veterans Benefits

Federal prosecutors say Brian K. Ditch, 44, of Salem, Missouri, stands accused of hiding his uncle's dead body in a trash can in order to keep stealing the disabled veteran's government benefits - to the tune of more than $650,000

SALEM, Missouri — A Missouri man has been indicted in what prosecutors are calling a disturbing and cold-hearted scheme to exploit his paralyzed uncle, a disabled Army veteran, whose decomposing body was discovered in a trash can nearly six years after his death.

Brian K. Ditch, 44, of Salem, Missouri, is facing 11 federal charges including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, theft of government property, and illegal firearm possession as a felon, along with six state charges including abandonment of a corpse. Prosecutors allege that Ditch imprisoned, abused, and ultimately discarded his uncle, Thomas Clubb, in order to fraudulently collect over $650,000 in government disability and retirement benefits.

The body of Thomas Clubb, an Army veteran with quadriplegia, was found stuffed into a trash bag inside a garbage can and left to decompose for nearly six years

Clubb, a quadriplegic Army veteran, had been in Ditch’s sole care since 2008. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had deemed Clubb 100% disabled following a military-related car accident in Germany and was paying him more than $9,500 per month. The Social Security Administration also sent more than $235,000 in additional benefits. Instead of providing care, Ditch allegedly confined Clubb to a garage, often leaving him without food or water, forcing him to sit in his own waste, and subjecting him to emotional and physical abuse.

According to court documents, Ditch maintained the illusion that Clubb had been moved to a nursing facility, even deceiving family members who last saw him in 2018. Relatives began to suspect foul play when they couldn’t locate Clubb in any official records or care facilities. A tip to the Missouri Department of Health on March 5 eventually led Salem Police to Ditch’s property on March 21, where they found Clubb’s partially frozen remains wrapped in a trash bag and stuffed inside a trash can behind a shed.

Ditch is accused of stealing his uncle’s veteran and Social Security benefits while locking him in a garage in Missouri,

“This is an abhorrent, reprehensible crime,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman. “A crime committed against a family member. A veteran. Somebody without the use of their arms and legs. It’s a disturbing and flagrant lack of regard for human life.”

While Clubb’s body decomposed behind the home, investigators say Ditch lived lavishly, using the stolen money to buy exotic reptiles, take vacations, and fund a lifestyle of deception. Despite being a convicted felon with prior charges for burglary and domestic battery, Ditch was also found in possession of three illegal shotguns during the investigation.

Prosecutors state that Ditch’s abuse extended beyond Clubb, also targeting his own children and significant others in order to maintain control and continue his fraudulent scheme.

DNA tests are still pending, but authorities are confident the remains belong to Clubb. Due to the level of decomposition, the Dent County coroner said the exact cause of death may remain unknown.

Clubb’s niece, Angie Crowder, said the family is in shock and is preparing a funeral to bury him beside his parents. “He liked to talk. He loved reading the newspaper,” she said. “He was family.” The family has also created t-shirts that read "Justice for Tom Clubb."

If convicted, Ditch could face decades in federal prison. He is expected to plead not guilty in federal court.