Fayetteville, N.C. — Two people have been charged with writing unauthorized checks from a dead man’s bank account, authorities said Wednesday.

Kenneth Wade Puckett, 44, of 111 Pincrest Trail in Rockingham, and Pura Montalvan, 36, of 303 Rutherford St. in Spring Lake, were charged with obtaining property by false pretense.

Investigators said Puckett stole checks from his deceased father, Dennie Puckett, who died on Oct. 11. Checks totaling almost $700 were written between Oct. 30 and Nov. 4 to Bank of America and a pizzeria in Fayetteville, authorities said.

Kenneth Puckett and Montalvan told detectives the checks were for housekeeping necessities, but witnesses said the pair didn’t have the authority to write the checks because one of Kenneth Puckett's siblings was acting as executor of the father’s estate.