Cops say woman posed as Red Cross worker

Staff Report
Published: July 21, 2008

Culpeper police charged a Madison County woman with illegally obtaining household items of a Culpeper woman by posing as a Red Cross worker, according to a town police report.

Mary Lou Knighting, 57, faces a felony charge of obtaining goods by false pretenses. Culpeper Detective Marcus Taylor charged Knighting Saturday after weeks of investigating the allegation, according to town spokesman Wally Bunker.

In early May, Knighting allegedly removed several pickup truck loads of furniture, household items and crafts from the West Cameron Street apartment of an ill woman, who died in May, after being contacted by the woman’s daughter-in-law, police said.

According to the report, Knighting told the daughter-in-law she worked for the American Red Cross and would clean the apartment as well as store the items at her house until a needy family wanted them.

The daughter-in-law, who lives in Michigan, became suspicious of Knighting when she never received receipts for the items or money paid to clean the apartment. The Red Cross told her Knighting was not a volunteer or employee and that it only accepted cash donations.

The daughter-in-law contacted Culpeper police June 13 about the allegations. Knighting turned herself in to police and was released on $2,500 unsecured bond. She is scheduled to appear for arraignment in general district court Aug. 6 at 8:30 a.m.