The remains of 56 people were found decomposing and improperly stored at South Chicago Chapel funeral home in Chicago on Thursday, according to state officials and law enforcement sources [1, 2, 3]. The bodies were kept in unrefrigerated areas in deplorable conditions, including rodent and maggot infestations [1, 2, 3].
Illinois authorities suspended the funeral director Johanna Morgan’s license temporarily on Wednesday, before the discovery became public [3]. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation stated Morgan allowed multiple decedents to be kept in unrefrigerated spaces with rodent infestations that caused decomposition and maggot infestations of the bodies [3].
The funeral home is owned and operated by Johanna Morgan and her husband, Clark Morgan. Clark Morgan had his funeral director license revoked in 2024 after practicing with an expired license and engaging in unprofessional conduct [2, 3]. The Morgans previously ran a crematory that was shut down for similar mishandling of remains [1, 2, 3, 4].
Local residents had complained for months about a foul odor coming from the South Chicago Chapel before authorities discovered the decomposing remains. Blaise Von Bruchhaeuser said, "It was upsetting that complaints about a terrible odor had been made for months before the decomposing bodies were found" [1].
Latasha Johnson, whose mother’s funeral was held at South Chicago Chapel on Thursday before the discovery, expressed her anguish: "I’m discombobulated. My heart is broken" [1].
After the remains were found, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office was alerted and sent investigators and forensic pathologists to assess the bodies, search for identification documents, and notify families once identifications are confirmed. The examiner’s office said, "Staff is assessing the conditions of the remains, searching for documentation regarding identification of the decedents as well as death certificates. This process could take several days to ensure proper disposition" [1].
Police detectives continue investigating the matter but no arrests or charges have been announced so far [1, 4, 2, 3]. The South Chicago Chapel funeral home was incorporated by Johanna Morgan in 2022 [1, 3].
The next scheduled step is the thorough examination and identification of the remains by medical examiner staff, a process expected to take several days [1].
