TOOELE, Utah — Tooele City Police Department has released its final press release in the case of Paul Mathers,a Tooele man whose body was found inside of a freezer in the home of his dead wife.
On November 22, 2019, police were dispatched to Remington Park Apartments, located at 495 W Utah Ave, for a welfare check on a woman who had not been seen in weeks. When police arrived at the residence, they found 75-year-old Jeanne Souron-Mathers deceased in her bed. They also found Paul Mathers' body wrapped in a garbage bag stored inside a freezer.
When his body was taken out of the garbage bag, police found another garbage bag around his head, tightly duct-taped around his neck. The Medical Examiners report stated that it is unclear whether the bag was placed around his head before or after his death. The report also states that an asphyxial cause of death cannot be ruled out, but a definite cause of death has not been determined. Mathers’ body is believed to have been inside the freezer for over a decade.
Police have narrowed down the timeline on when they believe Mr. Mathers passed away. The estimated timeline of Mathers’ death is between March 2 and March 5 of 2009. Mr. Mathers’ sister reported speaking to him over the phone on March 2, 2009, and she also visited the residence on March 5, 2019. According to police, Jeanne Souron-Mathers, told her Mr. Mathers moved to California.
According to a medical examiner report, Mathers was terminally ill with bladder cancer and given only weeks to months to live. Also noted in a toxicology report of Mr, Mathers: "highly lethal levels" of several prescription drugs were found in his system.
During the 10 years Mathers' body was in the freezer, the Department of Veteran Affairs sent checks worth $177,325 to his residence.
Also released was a notarized letter dated December 2, 2008, that Mathers left behind to clarify that his wife had nothing to do with his death.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
I, Paul E. Mathers, a.k.a. Paula, being of a relatively sound mind and cancer ridden body make the following statement: I am fully aware that with my heart condition the Lortabs/Hydrocodine will eventually stop my heart. It will not be deliberate as I am not ready to leave my wife, Jeanne Marie. Jeanne has foiled my actual suicide attempts.
I want it known that Jeanne is in NO way responsible for my death. Although that will be what my drama queen mother will claim. My mother, Zada Lamb, can get on with her life with-out having to acknowledge that I her first born am a T.G.
The letter is signed Paul E. Mathers, aka Paula E. Mathers.
Ms. Souron-Mathers death was confirmed as natural by the Medical Examiner's Office.
In the letter Paul E. Mathers mentions "...I her first born am a T.G." T.G. stands for transgender. Mathers has been named as Paul in other reports but is also known as Paula E. Mathers.
