SAN BERNARDINO  (AP) — Residents of a San Bernardino County town started a fundraising website this week to give a proper burial to a man found wrapped in trash bags and buried in his own backyard.

An Apple Valley area woman buried her husband in their backyard because she couldn’t afford to give him a proper burial, and now neighbors are chipping in.

Neighbor Colin Wilson and his sister set up an online fundraising page aiming to raise $3,000, and were halfway there by Friday afternoon.

Wilson said the couple moved in earlier this year and the wife gardened in the backyard every day.

The man, who was 63 when he died several weeks ago, was found by deputies Wednesday in a shallow grave at the home in Apple Valley. There were no signs of trauma to the body.

Authorities came to the home Wednesday and found the 59-year-old woman distraught. She told authorities she was too poor to give her husband a funeral.

Wilson said he watched as the woman led authorities to an area of the backyard.

“She came out and pointed at the area, and she got on her knees and she started crying,” Wilson said.

The house has since been put up for sale.

California law prohibits such graves.

The cause of death remains under investigation. No foul play is suspected.