The case of Mr Corbitt concluded.

Before detailing the case I would summarise the conclusion herewith for easy reference.

Mr Corbitt's emaciated person was found in the basement where he had clearly succumbed to a self inflicted lunacy caused by an unfortunate combination of events.
Firstly Mr Corbitt's unhealthy interest in the occult had clearly brought on a violent paranoia against polite society which from all logical observation had eventually caused him to succumb to a life of isolation within the basement of the house he was renting out.

From our investigations it was revealed that years before he had been embroiled in a scandalous affair involving the cultist chapel that he had been the head of. The details of this shall not be mentioned here, but the conclusion was that the cult was forcibly disbanded and the chapel burnt to the ground. It is more than likely that soon after this time Mr Corbitt's mental health continued to decline and he went into recluse.

Secondly, as was evident from our physical investigation of the property where Mr Corbitt was found, that the building, most notably the basement, sits upon a pocket of contaminated ground. These gasses had built up within the house to levels capable of affecting the brain over a short amount of time, and more seriously for Mr Corbitt having long term mental effects.

Contamination -
It is my opinion based on the observations of my own effects from the gas that it was Nitrous Oxide based, possibly caused by an excess of Nitrogen in the soil.
The effects of this gas include feelings of euphoria, relaxation and calmness, dizziness, difficulty in thinking straight and fits of giggles/laughter. Higher levels of exposure can lead to sound distortions or even hallucinations. It was these latter two effects which had been observed and felt by at least four separate individuals during the time of our investigation.

It is also my opinion that further contamination was present in the basement which caused Mr Corbitt to contract a form of necrotizing fasciitis.

Bacterial Infection of the victim -
 Initial observation of Mr Corbitt when he was alive and closer examinations of his corpse revealed that his body was severely emaciated and his skin and flesh had all the signs of a long deceased body. This is further reinforced by the obvious stench of decay that lingered in the area of the basement where Mr Corbitt resided and that also came from his body.
Necrotizing fasciitis is relatively unknown and there is no known cause or cure however it is highly expected to be caused by a virulent form of bacterial infection.
It is known that the toxic affects of bacteria on the body and the brain can include;
Altered Metal State ,
Skin discoloration,
Swelling,
Blisters,
Foul Odour,
Ulceration,
all of which were observed in Mr Corbitt's case.

The tenants -
It was not possible to examine or question the previous tenants of the property, both having been committed to a local asylum where access was not permitted. From what we were told they had been committed on mental health issues after they had accused the house of being haunted. It is clear that the effects of six months of exposure to the Nitrous Oxide excreted from the basement, along with no doubt the occasional noises of Mr Corbitt's from his hidden recluse in the basement, exacerbated the effect of the gaseous poisoning on their brains.
It is likely that they will recover their faculties having now been removed from the cause, yet that is still to be confirmed.

Conclusion - It is clear form the evidence that the rumours of supernatural hauntings are nothing more that the unfortunate effect of naturally occurring noxious gasses seeping onto the dwelling, further exacerbated by the presence of a deranged lunatic who himself had succumbed to the effects of the gasses along with a previously underlying psychological malaise.

It is my advise that the new owner of the property brick up the basement including the doorway and board over the staircase to prevent further gas escaping to the above ground floors. I would also suggest contacting the municipal engineers department to gain advise on a way to safely ventilate the basement gasses away from the property to the fresh outside air.