PLYMOUTH, Mass. — A Plymouth woman appeared in front of a judge this morning, after being indicted on multiple charges for allegedly faking her own death.
According to prosecutors, 44-year-old Shannon Wilson was arraigned back in 2022 Hingham District Court following a traffic stop.
The prosecution said Wilson allegedly gave officers a fake name while she was driving under the influence.
At the time of her arraignment, defense counsel informed the court that Wilson was terminally ill with brain cancer and had a limited life expectancy.
$400 was set on her behalf, and she was released subject to conditions.
In the months followed, Ms. Wilson failed to comply with conditions of her release and failed to appear as ordered.
When the Commonwealth sought bail revocation, Wilson asserted she had been hospitalized because of her brain cancer.
The court denied bail revocation but instructed Wilson that medical issues did not excuse failure to communicate or comply with court orders.
In September of that year, Wilson appeared in Plymouth District Court after she was arrested on unrelated shoplifting charges and again, represented to the court that she suffered from terminal brain cancer.
In January of 2023, defense counsel presented a letter purportedly from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute indicating terminal illness and hospice care.
Ther court soon then dismissed the charges against her, but an investigation determined Wilson was not a patient at Dana-Farber.
Later in the year during her Hingham case, her counsel reported receiving messages that Wilson had died and later provided a screen-captured image of a death certificate to the judge.
Although no certified copy was filed, the court dismissed the Hingham charges and waived all associated fees. The document listed terminal brain
Her cause of death was identified as cancer, named a Rhode Island physician as certifier, and identified a Boston funeral home.
Police investigated the matter further and established that no death certificate was registered in Massachusetts or Rhode Island and that no hospice, palliative care, or funeral services had been provided for Wilson.
In August 2023, her fiancé who had posted bail recovered the $400 after being informed Wilson was deceased.
He told police that she unexpectedly appeared at the acquaintance’s residence and admitted she had fabricated her death.
In July of that year, Wilson was arrested again by Massachusetts State Police in Wareham following a traffic stop for erratic driving.
She identified herself under the name she originally gave police back in 2022, claimed to be visiting from Ireland, denied her true identity, and again asserted she was terminally ill. Police found items bearing her true name and was placed under arrest.
Wilson was charged with one count each of furnishing false identifying information, obstruction of Justice, forgery, uttering of a public record, and failure to appear after release on bail.
Wilson was held on $50,000 bail and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW