Local man Barnaby Jones, 62, pretended he was dead so as he could avoid having to wash up after dinner.
The crafty man covered himself in ketchup and lodged a carving knife between his armpit and chest, then lay on the floor completely still while waiting to be discovered by his wife of 36 years.
"It was an elaborate plot", said the local sheriff, "there was obviously quite a lot of thought gone into the whole shady scheme".
Mrs Jones, shrieked in horror before dialing 911 for assistance.
When emergency service personnel arrived they uncovered the fiendish plot.
Barnaby jumped up from the floor and apparently began laughing hysterically at his cunning stunt.
Unfortunately, Mrs Jones didn't see the lighter side of events. She collapsed right then and there on the spot and died of shock - thinking her husband had risen from the dead.
Barnaby still sees the funny side of things, with eyewitnesses claiming that he was thrilled to be avoiding washing today's dishes again while he attends his beloved wife's funeral service.