Allen Page, 45, is facing second-degree murder charges after authorities say he left his 84-year-old mother to die in conditions so appalling that a veteran hospice nurse wept at the sight.
Page called for a hospice evaluation of Mary Elenz on Sept. 18, but what responders found inside the home shocked even experienced medical personnel. Elenz was alive yet unresponsive, her skin fused to soiled bedsheets as flies circled her body and maggots crawled from open wounds, according to court documents released Monday.
“The most horrific thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” the responding nurse said through tears, according to the documents.
Medical authorities rushed Elenz to Hospice of the Valley, where doctors determined she was severely malnourished. She died the following day. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner ruled her cause of death as pneumonia complicated by skin wounds, with neglect cited as a contributing factor.
Investigators found Page’s account of his mother’s care shifted repeatedly under questioning. He gave inconsistent answers about when a nurse last visited and how often he cleaned and bathed Elenz, records show. Police said Page had not worked since 2022, yet a $1,600 deposit from his mother’s Social Security payments landed in his bank account each pay period.
Page’s wife told authorities her husband was a compulsive liar who failed to maintain even basic hygiene for his mother, alleging he neglected to change Elenz’s diaper or bathe her with adequate frequency.
While Elenz lay dying, Page was sexting multiple people and telling friends his mother was fine, according to records.
The case carries a disturbing history. Documents reveal several abuse allegations against Elenz by Page dating back to 2019, though those cases were closed when investigators could not substantiate them.
Police also charged Page with illegal weapons possession, citing multiple firearms found in his possession despite a prior conviction that barred him from owning guns. His bail was set at $1 million cash.