South Jersey man pleads guilty to hiding dead cousin's body in closet to collect benefits

24/7 LivePhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaNew JerseyDelaware MurderSouth Jersey man pleads guilty to hiding dead cousin's body in closet to collect benefitsA Cumberland County man has pleaded guilty to killing a family member and stashing his body in a closet, all while collecting his benefits.WPVIBy6abc Digital Staff Tuesday, October 27, 2026 12:02PMShareFollow 6abc on GoogleFAIRFIELD TWP., N.J. (WPVI) -- A Cumberland County man has pleaded guilty to killing a family member and stashing his body in a closet, all while collecting his benefits.Steven Blankenship, 59, of Fairfield Township, New Jersey, killed his cousin, 72-year old Michael Blankenship.The victim was a Marine Corps veteran.Top StoriesNew video shows armed suspects attempting garage break-in before Bristol Twp. shootingUnited flight headed to Newark, New Jersey, diverted back to Las Vegas after passenger allegedly said he'd 'hijack' planeImmigration-related sham marriage preceded shooting outside Walmart, investigators sayProsecutors say Blankenship collected the money for more than eight months following the death.His sentencing is scheduled for December 11.Report a correction or typoCopyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.Related Topics CUMBERLAND COUNTY FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP NEW JERSEY MURDER BODY FOUND TRIALMurderImmigration-related sham marriage preceded shooting, investigators sayGerman teen arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with Indiana girl's deathFaith Hedgepeth's family, prosecutors share reactions after verdictMan sentenced to life in prison after guilty verdict in Faith Hedgepeth murder trialWatch LiveON NOWTop StoriesNew video released after armed suspects fire shots in Bristol Twp.United flight turned around after passenger allegedly said he'd 'hijack' planeImmigration-related sham marriage preceded shooting, investigators sayDollar General sued by FTC, 20 states for 'deceptive pricing'3 hours agoAccuWeather: Touch cooler today3 hours agoRisks spelled out for Anthropic investors include possible harms from runaway AI1 hour agoOverturned semi blocking all lanes of Rt. 55 NB in Gloucester County2 hours ago3K lbs. of crab legs stolen in Southwest Philadelphia cargo heist1 hour ago