SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Scranton police arrested a man they say hid the body of a man in his Lackawanna County apartment for weeks.
On February 3, Scranton Police say they learned a man had a dead body in his apartment in the 800 block of Capouse Avenue.
Officers went to the listed address and said they met 44-year-old Paul Rowe, from Scranton, outside.
Investigators spoke with Rowe and asked to see his apartment. Rowe complied, walked the officers to the back of the home, and pointed to his apartment.
Police say they told Rowe they heard about a body in his apartment, but Rowe denied the allegation and said he only had methamphetamine in his apartment.
Using the methamphetamine for reasonable cause, police say they obtained a search warrant for the apartment.
Upon entering the home, officials said there were syringes and baggies all over the floor that are commonly used for methamphetamine users. Further investigation led police to a room that smelled like a decomposing body.
Police say they lifted a tarp on the ground and found the body of a dead man.
The coroner determined the corpse had been decomposing for two to three weeks. The cause of death is unknown at this time.
Rowe faces one count of abuse of a corpse and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in the Lackawanna Prison on a $200,000 bail.
His next court date is set for February 24.
