A Brush Prairie man pleaded not guilty Friday to manslaughter and theft charges related to accusations he let his elderly father die of malnutrition and left the body to decompose as he continued to collect the dead man’s Social Security benefits.
Ronald Ahlquist, 45, is charged with second-degree manslaughter, first-degree criminal mistreatment, second-degree identity theft and second-degree theft. His trial is scheduled for Aug. 18.
He remains in Clark County Jail in lieu of $750,000 bail. His attorney, Tony Lowe, argued Friday that bail should be reduced because Ahlquist doesn’t present a public safety or flight risk. Judge Barbara Johnson denied his request but indicated she may reconsider if pretrial release officers are able to verify an address for Ahlquist.
Ahlquist’s friend Keith Runyan reported the death of Norman Ahlquist on Oct. 7, 2013, after Ronald Ahlquist called him and requested help transporting the body to the coroner’s office, according to court records.
When Clark County sheriff’s deputies arrived, they found Norman Ahlquist’s heavily decomposed body inside Ronald Ahlquist’s van, sheriff’s Detective Ken Harper wrote in a court affidavit.
The 75-year-old man died of malnutrition, but dementia and neglect were underlying contributors, according to autopsy results. He weighed 85 pounds at the time of the autopsy, Harper wrote. Sheriff’s investigators estimated that he had been dead possibly since late September.
Before and after his father’s death, Ronald Ahlquist had his father’s Social Security benefits deposited in his bank account, and he used the money to purchase items unrelated to his father’s care, Harper said. Ronald Ahlquist allegedly purchased items such as alcohol, cigarettes, a chain saw and motorcycle parts.
“Because most of the withdrawals were in cash and at a variety of locations, there is no sure way to track how the cash was spent,” Harper said.
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 say.
