Episode 326: Woman Melted Into The Couch For 12 Years - Tragic Case of Lacey Fletcher
Dr. Bickham was the coroner for the small town of Slaughter. For the past few decades, he had looked death in the face - that was what the job required, and he was good at it. Until January 3, 2022.
He was called out to the small white suburban house with the well manicured lawn - he could tell someone had died there judging by the smell. He walked into the living room and there in the center was a couch.
The living room was organized, tidy even, except this couch was at the center covered in feces. The smell was stinging his eyes. He walked closer and he saw - melted, into the couch the body of a young woman.
She was unclothed, maggots in her hair, rotting flesh eaten off her bones, and she was sitting there with her eyes and mouth open. She had been sitting on this very couch, alive, for the past 12 years.
Full Source Notes: rottenmangopodcast.com
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/uvwm3m/how_does_a_dead_human_body_smell_like/
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/21/magazine/how-to-train-a-cadaver-dog.html
https://www.aftermath.com/content/body-decomposition-smell/
https://scentlogix.com/s/cadaver/
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/drumoorhouse/cadaver-dog-training#
https://scentlogix.com/s/wp-content/uploads/Old-vs-New_Scent-Training-Aid-Comparison-Table.pdf
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/7v309d/redditors_who_have_been_around_dead_people_what/
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2296831-chimpanzees-dislike-the-smell-of-death-like-we-do/#:~:text=It%20is%20thought%20that%20humans,disease%20or%20predation%20by%20scavengers.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151019123156.htm
https://www.answers.com/Q/How_did_slaughter_Louisiana_get_its_name
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaughter,_Louisiana
https://townofslaughter.org/around-town/
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/east-feliciana-coroner-resigns-after-battles-over-funding/article_dd3667da-87b0-11ed-b85f-e70ca9eb3b89.html
https://www.reddit.com/r/LaceyFletcher/?rdt=45766
https://www.reddit.com/r/LaceyFletcher/comments/11xodkl/anyone_local_to_where_this_happened_how_are_the/
https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeDiscussion/comments/ux0rry/lacey_fletcherstory_doesnt_make_sense_at_all/?rdt=40307
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negligent_homicide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroperú_Flight_603#:~:text=in%20March%201999.-,Criminal%20prosecution,had%20removed%20the%20adhesive%20tape.
https://reischlawfirm.com/criminally-negligent-homicide-vs-manslaughter-whats-difference/
https://www.robertmhelfend.com/criminal-defense/murder/voluntary-manslaughter/#1-examples-of-voluntary-manslaughter-
https://www.jacksonwhitelaw.com/criminal-defense-law/difference-second-degree-murder-voluntary-manslaughter/
https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/law.aspx?d=78398
https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/law.aspx?d=78398
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sepsis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351214#
https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/chemical_terrorism/ammonia_general.htm#:~:text=When%20ammonia%20enters%20the%20body,in%20the%20body%20on%20contact.
https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/nappy-rash#:~:text=If%20left%20untreated%2C%20nappy%20rash,into%20blisters%20and%20open%20sores.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21991-weeping-eczema
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/diaper-rash-in-infants-and-children-beyond-the-basics/print#:~:text=Yeast%20infection%20—%20Yeast%20(Candida),and%20flake%20(picture%203).
https://www.reddit.com/r/CaregiverSupport/comments/11sg8qz/are_bedsores_really_that_serious/
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/skin-problems/pressure-sores/causes-and-prevention#:~:text=We%20normally%20move%20about%20constantly,body%20for%20a%20long%20time.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/bedsores#:~:text=A%20bedsore%20develops%20when%20blood,A%20bedsore%20can%20become%20deep.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/nov/26/life-on-the-inside-as-a-locked-in-patient-jake-haendel-leukoencephalopathy
https://health.usnews.com/doctors/ewell-bickham-909998
https://nypost.com/2022/04/29/colleague-of-lacey-fletchers-dad-reeling-over-neglect-that-left-her-melted-into-couch/?utm_source=reddit.com
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/239331107/lacey-ellen-fletcher
https://lawandcrime.com/crime/authorities-push-for-grand-jury-in-sickening-alleged-neglect-case-where-woman-sat-on-couch-for-years-and-died-covered-in-feces-and-maggots/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10763461/Woman-36-locked-syndrome-dead-FUSED-living-room-couch.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10783477/Lacey-Fletcher-seen-public-15-years-death-neighbors-reveal.html
https://unfilteredwithkiran.com/grand-jury-indicts-parents-after-disabled-daughter-left-to-die-on-couch-for-12-years/?fbclid=IwAR0j_F17xtELnPABRfixj4pmENlOMoqHHQ7nrIO_yy173dvVUwDl0gGE1Dg
https://nypost.com/2023/06/27/parents-of-woman-found-melted-to-couch-re-indicted-on-murder-charges/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10783477/Lacey-Fletcher-seen-public-15-years-death-neighbors-reveal.html#v-352764313473925555
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/crime_police/parents-of-louisiana-woman-who-died-in-horrific-at-home-conditions-indicted-on-murder-count/article_54bf1a84-ca3a-11ec-8daf-0bdfc174e319.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10769793/Co-worker-Louisiana-dad-accused-murdering-daughter-locked-syndrome-shocked.html
https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_be5e6aac-c55e-11ec-a9fb-d3d9475418db.html
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/courts/charges-against-parents-accused-of-letting-daughter-die-on-fetid-couch-thrown-out-for-now/article_12674c0c-0610-11ee-86b9-8f37f5399e16.html
https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/top-15-causes-of-death-louisiana
https://townofslaughter.org/
https://townofslaughter.org/government/
https://scienceline.org/2016/02/the-smell-of-death/
https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/louisiana-usa-climate#:~:text=Louisiana%2520has%2520a%2520mainly%2520humid%2520subtropical%2520climate%2520%2528K%25C3%25B6ppen,a%2520host%2520of%2520storms%2520in%2520spring%2520and%2520summer.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22462-locked-in-syndrome-lis
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/agoraphobia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355987
https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/how-abuse-mars-the-lives-of-autistic-people/
https://thespectrum.org.au/autism-advocacy/
https://stimpunks.org/fieldguide/dei/determining-a-good-autism-organization/
https://autisticadvocacy.org/
Production Note:
Rotten Mango has not done original reporting on this case. The stories are based on existing material (listed in show notes).
The RM team works hard to make sure everything you’re listening to is as accurate as possible and we try to use multiple sources to verify the facts. Creative liberties may be taken in certain cases during the presentation of the case. Please email us at rottenmangop@gmail.com if you have any questions!