A North Texas man suspected of posing as his dead neighbor, selling the man's home and spending thousands with his debit card, has been charged with murder in connection with the man's death, according to police.
Christopher Brian Colbert, 43, was arrested March 3 by U.S. Marshals in Los Angeles on charges of money laundering, tampering with a governmental record and securing/executing a document by deception, according to Dallas police Maj. Max Geron.[[329299491,C]]
Dallas police detectives traveled to Southern California to interview Colbert, and based on their interview, charged Colbert with murder in the death of his 57-year-old neighbor, Ronald David Shumway.
Shumway's remains were found in September 2015, encased in a concrete slab near the backyard of a vacant home under renovation in the 700 block of Winnetka Avenue.
Dallas police said Shumway had owned the home for more than 30 years but had not been seen or heard from for about six months before his body was found.
Investigators believe Colbert, a former next-door neighbor, sold Shumway's home by posing as the dead man.
Police said Colbert forged signatures on closing documents and provided the title company with a doctored driver’s license photo — one that had his photo superimposed over Shumway's actual license.
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Police also said Colbert used Shumway’s debit card last summer to spend nearly $40,000.
Colbert is jailed on a $150,000 bond.
Information on an attorney for Colbert was not immediately available.
Arrest Warrant
Colber-Arrest-Warrant (Text)
