A California woman named Caroline Joanne Herrling, also known as Carrie Phenix has received a harsh sentence of 20 years in prison.
Herrling and her accomplices targeted elderly individuals living in affluent neighborhoods.
They specifically searched for properties with signs of neglect, like overgrown lawns and unkempt swimming pools, suggesting a potentially vulnerable homeowner.
In 2020, they set their sights on a Sherman Oaks home owned by an elderly man, later identified as Charles Wilding.
After Wilding's mysterious death, the scheme unfolded.
Instead of reporting the death, Herrling and her accomplices allegedly left Wilding's body decomposing in the house while they looted his assets.
They used a forged power-of-attorney to steal his real estate and financial accounts.
When questioned by authorities, Herrling fabricated a story, claiming Wilding was alive and staying with friends.
Investigators later discovered she'd moved the body to her apartment and attempted to dispose the body.
The investigation further revealed this wasn't an isolated incident.
Herrling allegedly used similar tactics to exploit another victim, forging a will and claiming millions in assets.
Additionally, she used forged documents to fraudulently sell another victim's property.
One accomplice, Matthew Jason Kroth, pleaded guilty to related charges and awaits sentencing.
Herrling, however, faces the consequences of her elaborate scheme.
She's sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to pay back nearly $3.9 million stolen from her victims.
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