S.C. woman sentenced for dumping mother’s body in river, stealing her Social Security benefits

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (TCD) -- A 48-year-old woman was recently sentenced to 16 months in prison for dumping her deceased mother’s body into a river and stealing nearly $70,000 in Social Security benefits.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, in the summer of 2017, Beth Beamer’s mother, Rena Beamer, was reported missing from her home in Mauldin, South Carolina, to the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. A few years later, in October 2020, the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General reportedly learned about this even though the victim’s Social Security benefits were still being paid and deposited into an account, which Beth Beamer had access to.

The benefits were suspended in May 2020 to "develop a new address for Rena Beamer," the Attorney’s Office said. The Social Security Administration allegedly received a call from a woman who claimed to be Rena Beamer on Dec. 21, 2020. The caller, who was later identified as Beth Beamer, reportedly updated the Social Security mailing address in North Carolina and payments were restarted.

According to the Attorney’s Office, "SSA-OIG reviewed bank records for Rena Beamer’s bank account and determined that Beth Beamer was accessing the SSA payments and spending the money on herself."

Upon further investigation, authorities reportedly learned that Beamer removed her mother’s dead body from their shared home in August 2017 and threw it into a river near Tryon, North Carolina. The Attorney’s Office said Beth told authorities she failed to notify the Social Security Administration about her mother’s death and impersonated Rena Beamer to receive benefits intended for her mother until May 2021.

According to the Attorney’s Office, from August 2017 until May 2021, Beth Beamer received a total of $69,909.40 in Social Security benefits.

Beth was reportedly arrested in North Carolina in May 2021 with charges out of South Carolina for neglect of a vulnerable adult, exploitation of a vulnerable adult, obstruction of an investigation, abuse or neglect resulting in death, unauthorized removal of a dead body, and destruction/desecration of human remains.

On Monday, Dec. 12, the Attorney’s Office announced that Beth Beamer was sentenced to 16 months in prison, to be followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. She’ll also have to pay $68,909.40 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.

MORE:

• Mauldin Woman Sentenced to Sixteen Months in Prison for Theft of Deceased Mother’s Social Security Administration Benefits - U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina