In 1983, Patrick Welsh disappeared and left behind a suicide note. Five years later, his wife, Elizabeth, officially had him declared dead. In 1997, Elizabeth received a letter from the Social Security Administration, demanding that she pay back $56,000 in death benefits. She then discovered that Patrick was still alive and living in Texas under the name Tim Kingsbury. “48 Hours" Correspondent Harold Dow reports. This classic "48 Hours" episode last aired on 8/24/2001. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter 1: Who was Patrick Welsh and what happened to him?
Pat and Elizabeth were high school sweethearts.
We very much wanted to be married.
They had two children, Ted and Chris.
He's a devoted husband and certainly a devoted father.
Their lives seemed picture perfect until dad suddenly vanished. The last thing I remember is waiting for him to come home at night. Then they found his suicide note.
Please tell the boys I will watch over them from heaven.
His family was sure he was dead. If he was alive, he would never be able to leave my brother and I behind.
Now, after 15 hard years on their own. My first thought was, could this possibly be true? A stunning discovery.
She called me and said, Elizabeth, sit down.
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Chapter 2: How did Elizabeth Welsh cope after Patrick's disappearance?
Five days after Pat disappeared, Elizabeth received a letter.
I know you don't believe this now, but what you needed was freedom from my shadow, from my past. And disgrace. The only way to give you that is through my death.
Overwhelmed with debt and humiliated by his past crime. I wish I could kiss you goodbye. Pat Welsh told his wife of 14 years. Please have my body cremated and not buried. That he had gone to San Francisco to commit suicide.
Please tell the boys I will watch over them from heaven. that I love them very much and have the greatest hope for them. It was bad enough that Pat suddenly was gone, but then to receive this.
And despite an exhaustive search by the FBI, local police, and the Welsh family, Pat's body was never found. With two young sons and a mortgage, Pat had left Elizabeth with few options. She didn't sleep.
She didn't eat.
Claire Bailey is Elizabeth's sister.
The anxiety that I saw in my sister's eyes, the fear that I saw in their little boy's eyes, the unnecessary An unjust guilt that my sister carried with her, thinking that there's something that she should have done to keep this from happening was probably one of the hardest things for me to deal with.
Awash in Pat's bad debts.
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