GBI has identified 12 of the 18 remains found and the funeral home owner has been arrested

• Chris Johnson, owner of Johnson Funeral Home in Douglas, Georgia, was arrested on 17 counts of abuse of a corpse.
• During an eviction notice on October 26, 2024, 18 decomposed bodies were found at the funeral home.
• GBI has identified 12 of the 18 remains and notified the families; identification of the remaining 6 is underway.
• GBI Crime Lab evaluates cremains to determine if they are human remains and to verify cremation information.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has identified 12 of the 18 remains found at Johnson Funeral Home on October 26, 2024.

The discovery comes after the GBI arrested the owner of Johnson Funeral Home in Douglas Georgia.
Chris Johnson is charged with seventeen counts of abuse of a corpse.

The arrest follows an investigation that began on Saturday, October 26, 2024, when the GBI was requested by the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office. Officers serving an eviction notice at Johnson Funeral Home discovered 18 bodies in various stages of decomposition.

The GBI and the Coffee County Coroner’s Office notified families of the identified remains and provided them with the necessary information so they can finalize arrangements for their loved ones.

Out of respect for their privacy, the GBI will not release their identities at this time. The GBI continues its work to identify the remaining six remains found and expects to do so shortly. The GBI Crime Lab is evaluating the cremains transferred to determine if they are human remains.

The GBI continues its work in trying to verify the cremation information and whether the cremains were sent to the correct families, as well as other investigative leads.

The Criminal Investigation Division of the Insurance Commissioner’s Office also assists the GBI in investigating irregularities in insurance proceeds. This investigation is active and ongoing.

Additional charges are expected.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at (912) 384-4227 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Douglas at (912) 389-4103. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-onlineor by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. Once the investigation is complete, the file will be turned over to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.