In a shocking turn of events, a former funeral home owner in Colorado has been arrested for allegedly hiding a woman's corpse in the back of a hearse for two years and hoarding the cremated remains of at least 30 individuals. The arrest of the 33-year-old suspect comes amidst a series of misconduct allegations against funeral home owners in the state, highlighting the need for stricter regulations in the industry.
The disturbing discovery was made during a court-ordered eviction at the suspect's property, where urns containing the cremated remains of multiple individuals were found stashed around the premises. The woman's body, which had been stored in the hearse under blankets, was also uncovered during the search.
The suspect, who owned Apollo Funeral and Cremation Services in Littleton, has been linked to the hoarded cremains dating back to 2012. The funeral home has been closed since September 2022, and the suspect now faces potential charges including abuse of a corpse, forgery of death certificates, and theft of cremation funds.
Authorities had initially announced an arrest warrant for the suspect, who was said to be cooperative. However, he eluded authorities briefly before being apprehended. The investigation revealed that the suspect owed money to local crematories and resorted to storing the woman's body in the hearse after being refused cremation services.
This arrest follows a similar case involving 190 decaying bodies found at another funeral home in Penrose, Colorado. The owners of that facility are awaiting trial on charges of providing fake ashes to families of the deceased. In a separate incident, operators of a funeral home in Montrose were sentenced to federal prison for mail fraud related to the sale of body parts and distribution of counterfeit ashes.
These alarming incidents have raised concerns about the oversight of funeral home operations in Colorado and prompted calls for stronger regulations to protect the dignity of the deceased and their families.
