Hawaii couple accused of stealing identities of dead infants found guilty

HONOLULU (KHON2) — A Kapolei couple has been found guilty on charges of identity theft, conspiracy and lying to get passports.

Walter Primrose and Gwynn Morrison were charged with stealing the identity of dead infants more than 30 years ago, in Texas.

Court documents said Primrose retired from the United States Coast Guard after 20 years, then received a secret clearance working for the Department of Defense.

Primrose and Morrison lived under false identities for decades.

Ali Silvert, a retired federal public defender, said in 2022 that is highly unusual.

“Normal identity theft is someone steals someone’s identity, cashes a lot of checks or buys a lot of merchandise in the other person’s name. They do it for a little while and they stop,” said Silvert.

The couple represented themselves during the five day trial.

Their sentencing is scheduled in March.