Wells Fargo employee dies at desk, explained

A Tempe, AZ Wells Fargo employee was found dead at her desk four days after she scanned into the building. At this writing, an investigation into her cause of death is underway. There were no obvious signs of foul play.

Authorities say Denise Prudhomme, 60, entered the Wells Fargo building at 7 a.m. on Aug. 16, 2024. Her desk was reportedly on the third floor of the building, and in a relatively secluded area. As the days went on, some inside the building reported a smell, but no one concluded it came from a dead body, and assumed there was maybe an issue with the plumbing, according to Phoenix news outlet 12News. A colleague finally checked on Prudhomme and found her unresponsive. Prudhomme was pronounced dead at the scene.

“It’s really heartbreaking and I’m thinking, ‘What if I were just sitting there?’ No one would check on me?,” another Wells Fargo employee told 12News anonymously. They added, “To hear she’s been sitting at the desk like that would make me feel sick. And nobody did anything. That’s how she spent her last moments.”

Most employees in the building work remotely

Most Wells Fargo employees in the building work remotely, which provides some context for how Denise Prudhomme’s body could have gone unnoticed for so long. The building has 24-hour security who should have noticed sooner, and the fact that they didn’t feels like negligence, said a Wells Fargo employee, speaking with 12News anonymously. Wells Fargo never addressed the situation with employees, the person added.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague at our Tempe office,” Wells Fargo told 12News in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and loved ones during this difficult time. Counselors, through our Employee Assistance Consulting service, are available to support our employees,” Wells Fargo added. “We are fully cooperating with the Tempe Police Department in their investigation and will direct all further questions to them,” the bank said.

The 2023 Wells Fargo executive suicide

Denise Prudhomme’s death came about a year after Greg Beckett, a Wells Fargo executive, jumped to his death from a bank building in Delaware, MD. Beckett left no note, but job stress is thought to have been a factor in Beckett’s decision to take his own life. There is no known connection between Prudhomme and Beckett’s deaths.

‘We’re deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague,” a Wells Fargo spokesperson said in a statement, referring to Beckett’s suicide. The statement added, “Greg was a valued member of our team As we all know, it’s virtually impossible to identify a reason when a tragedy like this occurs. There is nothing more important to all of us at Wells Fargo than our colleagues’ well-being.” As for Prudhomme, although foul play was not suspected, Tempe police were investigating the circumstances of her death, and interviewing employees for any additional information about what might have happened.