Two Women Accused Of Stealing From Blind Elderly Ellensburg Man

Two women are facing theft charges after being accused of stealing thousands of dollars from an elderly Ellensburg man.

The Ellensburg Daily Record reports prosecutors say the women accessed the blind and bed-ridden 87-year-old's bank accounts in 2023 and took the money to pay for rent and other personal expenses.

The women were accused of stealing the man's money after the man changed his power of attorney and evidence of the alleged thefts was discovered.

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The accused women, 34-year-old Leah Maria Wedgeworth or Vancouver and 43-year-old April Marie Tomisser of Yakima were both arraigned last Thursday in Kittitas County Superior Court.

Both Wedgeworth and Tomisser are facing charges of first-degree theft, first-degree identity theft, and forgery, and all of the felony counts include enhancements that the victim was a vulnerable adult, which could lead to stiffer sentences if the women are convicted.

Prosecutors contend that Wedgeworth used the man's banking information to withdrawal $2,004 on April 18, 2023 and also withdrew an additional $4,010 from the same account a few days later by fraudulently attaching her name to an already issued check.

Tomisser, who was reportedly employed by the man as a caregiver for only 11 hours before being fired, allegedly used his account information to make several withdrawals of undisclosed amounts to pay for car tabs and bills for roadway tolls, and also attempted to make another withdrawal to purchase pet insurance but was unsuccessful after the account had been flagged.

Both Wedgeworth and Tomisser have pled not guilty to all charges, and Judge Chris Herion scheduled their trials to being on Aug. 4.