A Juneau woman concealed her husband’s death for years and continued receiving benefits in his name, according to police, after investigators found his remains inside a chest freezer at a storage shed.
The remains of Ross Anthony Pasquan were discovered July 19, 2026, at a property in the Switzer Village area of Juneau. A family member was cleaning out the property after the death of Pasquan’s wife, Sheryl Ann McDonald-Pasquan, when they found what appeared to be human remains inside a locked outbuilding.
Investigators later confirmed the remains belonged to Pasquan, who would have been 74 years old when they were discovered.
The case initially raised questions about how and when Pasquan died. Those questions became clearer after the State Medical Examiner’s Office determined that he died from natural causes related to severe cardiovascular disease. Police said they found no evidence that another person caused his death.
The exact date of Pasquan’s death remains unknown. Investigators were also unable to determine precisely how long his remains had been inside the freezer.
Police believe the remains were placed there sometime between 2018 and 2025. The timeline is based in part on the freezer having been manufactured in 2018 and McDonald-Pasquan’s death in July 2025.
Pasquan had reportedly experienced significant health problems, and his wife had been his primary caregiver. When people asked about his absence, investigators said McDonald-Pasquan told them that her husband had been moved to a care facility outside Juneau.
No missing-person report was filed for Pasquan, and police said his death was never reported.
Benefits Continued After His Death
The investigation also uncovered a financial component to the concealment.
According to police, McDonald-Pasquan continued applying for and receiving benefits in her husband’s name, including Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend payments, Social Security benefits and retirement payments.
Investigators learned that at least one retirement benefit provider had not been notified of Pasquan’s death. Monthly payments reportedly continued going into his account through July 2026, the same month his remains were discovered.
Police have not determined exactly how much money was received after Pasquan’s death because the timeline of his death could not be established.
McDonald-Pasquan died of natural causes on July 14, 2025. Her death was followed about a year later by the discovery of her husband’s remains, bringing the long-unreported death to investigators’ attention.
Police said they found no evidence that anyone else helped conceal Pasquan’s remains or assisted with collecting his benefits.
Investigation Closed
With the medical examiner determining that Pasquan died of natural causes and investigators finding no evidence that another person caused his death or helped conceal the remains, the investigation has now been closed.
Police said the case could be reopened if new information comes forward.
For now, investigators have not been able to establish exactly when Pasquan died or how his remains came to be stored in the freezer. The case nevertheless revealed that his death had gone unreported for years while payments connected to his name continued.
