More than 50 containers of cremated remains were also recovered as officials work to identify the dead and notify families.
CHICAGO, Ill. — Authorities are continuing to identify 56 people whose remains were recovered from South Chicago Chapel after investigators found bodies improperly stored at the funeral home, while more than 50 containers of cremated remains have also been taken into official custody.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has taken jurisdiction over the 56 remains found at the funeral home at 2939 E. 95th St. in the South Deering neighborhood. The office said it is assessing their condition, confirming identities and reviewing death certificates and other paperwork before contacting relatives. The additional containers of cremated remains are separate from the 56 bodies and are being stored as Chicago police continue their investigation.
Authorities discovered the bodies Aug. 6 after Chicago police went to South Chicago Chapel to assist the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation with a licensing investigation. Officials said the remains were in various stages of decomposition. The medical examiner’s office said the identification process could take several days because investigators must match remains with documentation and make sure appropriate records are complete before final arrangements can be made.
State regulators had temporarily suspended the funeral director and embalmer license of Johanna Morgan one day before the discovery. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation alleged that multiple deceased people had been kept in an unrefrigerated area under severely unsanitary conditions. The department said the conditions included a rodent infestation and had contributed to decomposition. The suspension is a regulatory action and does not establish criminal guilt.
State business records identify Morgan as the person who incorporated South Chicago Chapel in 2022. Her husband, Clark Morgan, is listed as the company’s president. State officials said Clark Morgan’s funeral director license was revoked in 2024 after regulators found that he had practiced with an expired license and engaged in unprofessional conduct. Authorities have not announced criminal charges against either Morgan in connection with the remains discovered at South Chicago Chapel.
The couple had also been associated with Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, another death-care business that previously drew state scrutiny. Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza said the crematory lost its license in 2025 after authorities found improperly stored bodies and hundreds of cremated remains that had not been returned to families. Cook County court records also list Johanna and Clark Morgan as defendants in civil litigation related to the earlier operation.
The discovery at South Chicago Chapel has brought families to the property seeking information about relatives whose remains had been entrusted to the business. Some families told local news organizations they had experienced delays before the investigation and were now seeking confirmation about the handling and identification of their loved ones. Authorities have not publicly said that cremated remains previously returned to families were incorrectly identified, and investigators have not announced such a finding.
Residents in the neighborhood also told news organizations they had noticed a persistent foul odor near the funeral home for weeks or months before investigators entered the building. The reports have raised questions about the funeral home’s operations and oversight, particularly because of the prior regulatory problems involving the operators. Officials are now reviewing records connected to the South Chicago Chapel investigation while forensic specialists work through the identification process.
Early accounts also differed slightly on the number of bodies found at the property. A police report cited by local news organizations referred to 57 bodies during an initial walkthrough. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office later said it had taken jurisdiction over 56 remains, making 56 the official count being used as the identification and disposition process continues.
The medical examiner’s office has said it will contact relatives after their loved ones are positively identified and will handle cremation at no cost for families that choose that option. Families may also arrange services through another funeral home. As of Aug. 10, Chicago police were continuing to investigate the circumstances at South Chicago Chapel, while state officials handled licensing matters. No arrests or criminal charges tied to the latest discovery had been publicly announced.
Author note: Last updated August 10, 2026.