GBI Identifies 12 of 18 Remains Found at Johnson Funeral Home, Investigation Ongoing
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has identified 12 of the 18 remains discovered at Johnson Funeral Home in Douglas, Georgia, on October 26, 2024. Families of the identified individuals have been notified by the GBI and the Coffee County Coroner’s Office, with arrangements being finalized for their loved ones. Out of respect for the families’ privacy, the identities of the deceased will not be publicly released.
The GBI continues efforts to identify the remaining six bodies and is working to verify the origins and accuracy of cremation remains handled by the funeral home. The GBI Crime Lab is also analyzing cremains to determine whether they are human.
This investigation has expanded to include potential irregularities involving insurance proceeds, with assistance from the Criminal Investigations Division of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.
Chris Johnson, 39, the funeral home’s operator, was arrested and charged with 17 counts of Abuse of a Dead Body. The charges followed an initial investigation by the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, after deputies serving an eviction notice found 18 bodies in various stages of decomposition at the funeral home.
The case remains active, and additional charges are anticipated. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be submitted to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at (912) 384-4227 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Douglas at (912) 389-4103. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), visiting GBI’s online tip page, or using the “See Something, Send Something” mobile app.
