‘Various stages of decomposition’: 18 bodies found in funeral home during eviction

DOUGLAS, Ga. — Sheriff’s deputies made a gruesome discovery while serving an eviction notice in Georgia.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Chris Johnson on Sunday after Coffee County sheriff’s deputies found 18 bodies in “various stages of decomposition,” WSB reported.

Two pets, a dog and cat, were also found, WALB reported.

Deputies were at the Johnson Funeral and Cremation Services to serve an eviction notice on Saturday WALB reported. They found the remains while searching the property then called the GBI.

A hazmat team was called in to help remove the remains on Saturday.

Local news site DouglasNow.com reported Johnson had unsuccessfully run for coroner in May and had been under a separate investigation. He was in the process of moving the business to a new location which was not ready for move-in.

Agents with the bureau charged Johnson with 17 counts of abuse of a dead body but said in a news release they expect to file more charges. One body had not been at the funeral home long enough for charges to be filed, DouglasNow reported.

Officials are trying to identify the remains and notify families.

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