A prosecuting attorney on Tuesday painted a grim scene for jurors: The decomposing body of a severely emaciated 75-year-old man discovered in the back of his son’s van. The man’s body, wrapped in a soiled sheet with garbage bags on the head and feet, was hidden in a deflated air mattress.
Norman Ahlquist, who had dementia, died of malnutrition in part from his disease and neglect at the hands of his caregiver and son, Ronald Ahlquist, Deputy Prosecutor Abbie Bartlett said during opening statements for Ronald Ahlquist’s trial in Clark County Superior Court. The elder man’s death was reported Oct. 7, 2013.
Bartlett went on to say that Ronald Ahlquist also converted his father’s Social Security benefits to a debit card and spent the money on himself. He used the money, before and after his father’s death, to purchase items such as alcohol, cigarettes, a chain saw and motorcycle parts, according to court records.
The 47-year-old Brush Prairie man is on trial for domestic violence-related manslaughter and theft charges.
However, his defense attorney, Tony Lowe, told the jury that “there are always different sides to the story.”
Lowe argued that Norman Ahlquist was never formally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and that he died as a result of his rapidly deteriorating health. He said it was difficult to get the elder Ahlquist to eat, which is why he lost so much weight. Norman Ahlquist weighed 85 pounds at the time of his autopsy, according to court records.
Lowe said there was no evidence that the elder Ahlquist was physically abused or left to starve to death.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Ronald Ahlquist’s friend, Keith Runyon, reported the death of Norman Ahlquist after Ronald Ahlquist called him and requested help transporting the body to the coroner’s office.
When Clark County sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found Norman Ahlquist’s heavily decomposed body inside his son’s van, the affidavit said. Investigators estimated he had been dead possibly since late September 2013.
Lowe told the jury that the man had died about three days before his death was reported.
Ronald Ahlquist had been his father’s caretaker since 2009 and received money from the state for caring for his father between 2009 and 2010. The pay was discontinued when Ronald Ahlquist failed to take required training classes, court records show.
Bartlett said that Norman Ahlquist suffered from moderate to severe dementia and was unable to dress, feed or use the toilet by himself. His son left him to starve to death in his room, she said, and then scrubbed it clean after the man died.
Ronald Ahlquist’s trial continues today with testimony on behalf of the prosecution.
