An Ash Fork man involved in the case of a burned body has been found guilty of manslaughter by a Yavapai County jury. The verdict was handed down on February 13th.
According to the County Attorney’s Office, 77-year-old Terry Welfenberg was arrested in April of 2023 after the Ash Fork postmaster alerted the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office that 65-year-old John McCabe had not picked up his mail for more than a year.
When deputies arrived at McCabe’s residence, they found Welfenberg living there. He claimed not to know where McCabe was, but an investigation turned up human bones and a burnt wallet in a burn pit. Welfenberg claimed he had killed McCabe in self-defense and burned his body.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 24th.