An investigation that began with a routine eviction notice at Johnson Funeral Home in Douglas, Georgia led to the discovery of 18 decomposing bodies and the arrest of funeral director Chris Johnson on multiple felony charges.
Deputies serving an eviction notice at 2760 U.S. Hwy. 441 South on October 26, 2024, found the bodies, including those of children, in various stages of decomposition inside a cooler. Johnson, 39, was charged with 17 counts of abuse of a dead body by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
The investigation revealed that some families had received what they believed were the cremated remains of their loved ones, even though the actual bodies were still in the cooler.
Sherri Thomas, a resident of Douglas, shared that she still has not received the death certificate she paid for in full from Chris Johnson. She mentioned that she has made 50 to 60 calls without a single response from him, leading her to question if the remains she received belong to her mother.
Other individuals also had to resort to legal threats to obtain death certificates for their loved ones.
A resident named “Janell,” who used the funeral home services, described how she frequently visited the funeral home, seeing Johnson’s car parked out back, but he would not answer the door or phone. She eventually threatened legal action, after which Johnson provided the death certificates nearly a year later.
Angela Howell, who lives near the funeral home, remarked, “He seemed like such a good person when we first met him.” She added, referring to a news article online, “He was just kind and gentle, so when someone sent me the link from WALB, I was like, ‘That can’t be.’”
Johnson’s professional credentials appeared to be in order. He received his license as a funeral service apprentice in 2014 and became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in 2016. No complaints had been filed against him prior to this discovery. In May 2024, Johnson unsuccessfully ran for the position of Coffee County coroner.
The arrest warrant states that Johnson’s actions showed “willful negligence” and “intentional disregard of proper storage” of the remains, resulting in serious disfigurement of the deceased. Due to the severity of the charges, a judge ordered Johnson held without bail until trial.
Along with the human remains, investigators also discovered two deceased pets, a cat and a dog, on the property. The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the GBI are working to identify all the bodies and notify the affected families.
As the investigation continues, additional charges are anticipated. Upon completion, the case will be forwarded to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Similarly, the owners of a Colorado funeral home recently admitted guilt to federal fraud charges. They were accused of deceiving clients and misusing nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds. During the investigation, authorities discovered 190 decomposing bodies stored in the building.