A Georgia-based funeral home director, Chris Lee Johnson, 39, was arrested after authorities discovered 18 decomposing bodies in his facility during an eviction process. Johnson, the proprietor of Johnson Funeral and Cremation Services, was in the process of being evicted from his Douglas-based funeral home when Coffee County deputies made the grim discovery, which included the remains of more than one child.
Court documents reveal that Johnson had been struggling financially in the months leading up to his eviction. He had accumulated $9,000 in unpaid rent, which he attempted to clear in May, only to fall behind again in the subsequent two months. This financial instability was further highlighted when Johnson received his first eviction notice on May 20, a day before he lost the Republican primary in his bid to become the Coffee County coroner.
In a separate legal matter, Johnson was found to owe Thacker Caskets $9,588.30 for nine unpaid caskets in 2022. A judge ruled in Thacker’s favor last year, ordering Johnson to pay the overdue amount, along with $1,908.25 in accrued interest and attorney fees, as per the Superior Court of Coffee County’s decision.
Johnson’s financial woes didn’t end there. He was also ordered to pay over $21,000 for unpaid equipment in a different lawsuit filed against him. His second eviction notice was served on October 24, with law enforcement arriving two days later to enforce the eviction from the south Georgia funeral home.
Upon entering the facility, deputies discovered the decomposing bodies in various stages of decomposition. Gabe Sterling, chief operating officer of the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, described the situation as a “terrible case,” noting that Johnson’s license had lapsed for a period in 2024.
Johnson was subsequently arrested and charged with 17 counts of abuse of a dead body. Authorities accused him of “willful negligence in his duties as a funeral home director and intentional disregard of proper storage.” It was alleged that Johnson’s poor management resulted in the bodies being kept for excessive periods, leading to their disfigurement.
The case is still under investigation by Coffee County and state officials. The identities of the 18 bodies found in the funeral home have not yet been publicly disclosed. Attempts to reach a representative for Johnson for comment were unsuccessful.