Indiana funeral director faces jail after police find unburied bodies

Robert Besser
31 May 2023, 13:10 GMT+10

Randy Lankford, owner of Lankford Funeral Home and Family Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana, has pleaded guilty to more than 40 counts of felony theft
31 decomposing bodies and the cremated remains of 17 others were found in his funeral home
Lankford was charged with theft for failing to complete the funeral services he was paid for, and must also pay restitution to 53 families, totaling $46,000

JEFFERSONVILLE, Indiana: Randy Lankford, owner of Lankford Funeral Home and Family Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana, has pleaded guilty to more than 40 counts of felony theft after 31 decomposing bodies and the cremated remains of 17 others were found in his funeral home.

Clark County Circuit Court Judge N. Lisa Glickfield said Lankford faces a potential sentence of 12 years, with four years in prison and eight years of home incarceration.

Lankford was charged with theft for failing to complete the funeral services he was paid for, and must also pay restitution to 53 families, totaling $46,000.

Following the hearing, Lankford was released to home incarceration.

A formal sentencing hearing is planned for 23rd June.

After the county coroner's office reported a strong odor coming from the funeral home, Jeffersonville Police began investigating early last July and discovered unrefrigerated bodies in various states of decomposition.

The many charges against Lankford complicated the investigation, Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull said.

"We wanted to get justice for these families," he said, as quoted by the Associated Press.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Cambodian Times.

More Information

27 ℃

Mostly Cloudy in Phnom-Penh

International

Section

US children, age 10, 11, stopped while driving 200 miles from home

GAINESVILLE, Florida: Local police report stopping children, ages 10 and 11, who had driven their family car 200 miles, in ...

96-year-old US judge barred from hearing cases for mental incompetence

Washington, D.C.: This week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit suspended 96-year-old Judge Pauline Newman from hearing ...

Former US congressman jailed for 22 months in insider trading case

NEW YORK: On Tuesday, former U.S. Congressman Stephen Buyer was sentenced to 22 months in prison for trading on inside ...

West Point sued for admission policy by US anti-affirmative action group

NEW YORK: This week, the Virginia-based Students for Fair Admissions, founded by affirmative action opponent Edward Blum, sued the U.S. ...

UK firm sold parts to jet engine maker with forged paperwork

LONDON, U.K.: Jet engine maker CFM International said this week that thousands of engine components may have been sold with ...

Amid tensions, ASEAN launches first joint military drills in Indonesia

BATAM, Indonesia: Due to mounting geopolitical tensions and protests against China's activities in the South China Sea, ASEAN member nations ...

Sports

Section