Funeral home owner accused of misusing dead bodies after 18 bodies were found

DOUGLAS, GA (WALB/Gray News) – Several families are desperate for answers after investigators in Georgia discovered 18 decomposing bodies at a Coffee County funeral home.

Chris Johnson, the owner of Johnson’s Funeral and Cremation Services, was arrested and charged with seventeen counts of abuse of a corpse.

WALB previously reported that Johnson was arrested at his home following an investigation that led to the discovery of 18 bodies and two pets, a dog and a cat, in various states of decomposition at the funeral home.

What started as an eviction notice is now a nightmare for 18 families. Many wonder if they even have the remains of their loved ones.

“The initial reaction was, ‘I hope it wasn’t our daughter,’ but then you realize if it’s not our daughter, it’s someone else’s,” said Jeff and Tiffany Evans, a concerned family.

According to the GBI, the investigation began on October 26. The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office initially responded to the scene to assist with an eviction notice.

“He seemed like such a good person when we first met him,” said Douglas native Angela Howell. “He was just kind and gentle, so when someone sent me the link to WALB, I thought, ‘That can’t be right.'”

Those who have used Johnson’s services said he was virtually impossible to reach throughout the process.

“We still haven’t received a death certificate that I paid in full to Chris Johnson,” said Sherri Thomas, another Douglas. “I’ve probably called over 50 to 60 times and he hasn’t called back once, and I’m wondering, with all these bodies, is that even my mother’s body in this urn?”

Others had to threaten him with legal action to finally receive the death certificates of their loved ones.

“I came here many mornings. He was here, with his car in the back, but he wouldn’t come to the door when you called him. I told him I would hire a lawyer. Then I finally got the death certificates back, almost a year later,” said Janell, a Douglas resident.

When asked about his message to the community, Coffee County Coroner Brandon Musgrove said, “My priority is to correctly identify the bodies and make notifications to the family. Please bear with us. We work as hard as we can.”

The GBI says they are now “working to centralize the flow of information from the community” due to the complexity of this case.

The GBI says the investigation is active and ongoing. Additional charges are pending.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at 912-384-4227 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office at 912-389-4103. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS, online or 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.