A Georgia funeral home owner was arrested on October 27 after authorities discovered 18 decomposing bodies while serving an eviction notice.
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Authorities report that Chris Johnson, 39, is facing seventeen charges of abusing a deceased body, according to a press release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
On Saturday, October 26, deputies from the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office were serving an eviction notice at Johnson Funeral Home. They made a grim discovery: human remains in “various stages of decomposition,” according to investigators.
Investigators say the 18 bodies included “more than one child.” In addition to the human remains, a dog and a cat were also found stored in the cooler. The Douglas Fire Department’s hazardous materials team was summoned to the scene.
The arrest warrant for Johnson stated that he had “knowingly and willfully defaced a dead body while the body is prepared for burial, showing, or cremation in a funeral establishment.”
The statement further noted that “willful negligence in his duties as a funeral home director and intentional disregard for proper storage” resulted in the remains of 17 bodies being kept for excessive periods, leading to severe disfigurement.
During a hearing, Johnson was denied bail.
The Funeral Home Owner Ran For County Coroner Earlier This Year
Earlier this year, Johnson ran for the position of Coffee County coroner. However, he was defeated by Brandon Musgrove, garnering just under 29% of the vote, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Following the election, Johnson revealed his intention to campaign once more in four years.
“I will use these next four years to grow with each and every one of you,” Johnson said.
The discovery comes on the heels of the owners of a Colorado funeral home pleading guilty to fraud last month. This was after 200 decomposing bodies were found at their establishment, Return to Nature Funeral Home.
According to the US Justice Department, Jon and Carie Hallford failed to properly bury or cremate the bodies entrusted to their care. Instead, they provided grieving families with urns filled with dry concrete mix rather than ashes. Additionally, they misused an $800,000 pandemic business loan for personal expenses, including vacations, cosmetic medical procedures, and investments in cryptocurrency.
Investigators reported that the conditions inside the Colorado Springs business were so unsanitary that a paramedic examining the site developed a rash and required a medical evaluation.