COFFEE COUNTY, Ga. — There have been many questions surrounding the investigation into a south Georgia funeral home where 18 decomposing bodies were found.
On Thursday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation posted an update on its investigation.
The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the GBI arrested 39-year-old Chris Johnson in October. Deputies were executing a search warrant at Johnson Funeral Home in October when they discovered the bodies “various stages of decomposition.”
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Johnson currently faces 17 counts of abuse of dead body. The GBI said more charges are expected.
The GBI says anyone who has more information can call the regional office in Douglas at 912-389-4103 or Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at 912-384-4227. But they understand that many people affected by the tragedy will have questions.
To help, they have created a Q&A guide for the families. Here are the GBI’s answers to the questions they have been asked the most.
Q: Have the 18 remains found at the funeral home been identified?
A: All the remains are being examined by the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office at GBI Headquarters in Decatur, Georgia. They are working closely with the GBI Crime Lab, as well as our regional investigative office in Douglas, to make positive identifications. This process is time-consuming, due to both the volume and complexity of the case. We expect to have most of the remains identified in the near future, but we cannot provide a time frame. Once the identities have been confirmed, the families will be notified so that they can make other arrangements for their family members. After family notifications, the GBI will provide a news release to inform the public of the progress, but it will not include the names of those identified to protect the privacy of those families.
Q: Can cremains be positively identified as my loved one?
A: Unfortunately, we are unable to identify cremains as a specific person. We are able to determine if the cremains are of a human origin or not.
Q: If I have turned over cremains, when will I know the test results?
A: The cremains have been turned over to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office at GBI Headquarters for further examination. Many families provided us with what they were told were the cremains of their loved ones. We are unable to provide an exact timeframe for when the examinations will be completed.
Q: How do I know that the cremains I have are of my family member?
A: It has been well reported that certain cremation identification numbers do not match those at a local crematory used by Chris Johnson. We are working to determine if we can provide any answers regarding whether a family received the correct cremains.
Q: How can I get items back from the search of Johnson Funeral Home?
A: This is an ongoing criminal investigation, so we are unable to return any item we feel may be relevant to the investigation. If we come across items that we feel are not relevant to the investigation, we may return them before the investigation is complete. We are also unable to confirm if we found certain items during the search. We understand that this may cause inconveniences for certain families, but our goal is to conduct a thorough investigation that provides the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office with the best opportunity to prosecute this case.
Q: How long will this investigation take?
A: We cannot put a timeframe on this investigation. It is complex and requires many resources, such as agents, scientists, and intelligence analysts, as well as coordination with other state agencies. Much of what we are doing now is gathering information from victims. The information we receive will then direct our next investigative actions. We ask for your patience and your trust as we work to find as many answers as possible for the victims. We will provide updates to the public, when possible, but our focus is on the criminal investigation and subsequent prosecution.
Q: I have concerns about my experience with Johnson Funeral Home, who should I contact?
A: If you have already contacted the GBI Watchdesk, we have received your information and are working to contact each person. If you have not contacted the GBI yet, please submit information via the See Something, Send Something mobile app. Information can also be submitted by calling the GBI Watchdesk at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477). If you have tried contacting the GBI Douglas Office, we still do not have phone lines due to Hurricane Helene. We appreciate your patience at this time.
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