Funeral home director arrested after 18 decomposing bodies found

The discovery of 18 decomposing bodies, including children’s remains in a mortuary cooler,has all eyes on Coffee County. The situation at Johnson Funeral Home in Coffee County, Georgia, has drawn significant attention after Deputies found the remains while serving an eviction notice.There were also two dead pets – a dog and a cat — in the funeral home. An investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is underway.

Chris Johnson, the funeral home’s director, is facing 17 counts of abuse of a dead body for what authorities describe as severe negligence in storing the bodies. Some family members were even given ashes despite their loved ones’ remains still being stored in the cooler, raising concerns about previous handling of remains.

Sunday afternoon, Johnson was arrested at his home and taken into custody. He has been charged with 17 counts of felony abuse of a dead body. One of the bodies had not been at the funeral home long enough to warrant charges.

Johnson, who previously ran for Coffee County coroner, has held licenses as a funeral director and embalmer since 2016.

Following this incident, the GBI and Coffee County Sheriff’s Office are working to identify the remains and contact the affected families. Investigators encourage anyone with information to contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office or the GBI.

This case echoes another tragic incident in Georgia involving Ray Brent Marsh, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to 787 counts, including theft, corpse abuse, and burial fraud. Marsh had operated the Tri-State Crematory in Walker County, where the remains of 334 individuals were found in 2002. He served a 12-year prison sentence and was released in 2016.For those who may have information regarding the current investigation at Johnson Funeral Home, authorities encourage contact with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at 912-384-4227 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Douglas at 912-389-4103.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), through the GBI website, or via the “See Something, Send Something” app.