DOUGLAS, Ga. (WALB/Gray News) – Families in Coffee County, Georgia, are desperately seeking answers after investigators discovered 18 decomposing bodies, along with two pets, inside Johnson’s Funeral and Cremation Services. The owner, Chris Johnson, has been arrested and charged with 17 counts of abuse of a dead body.
The investigation began on October 26, prompted by an eviction notice, which quickly turned into a nightmare for the families affected. Many are left questioning whether they truly have the remains of their loved ones. Jeff and Tiffany Evans, concerned family members, expressed their fear, saying, “The first reaction was, ‘I hope it wasn’t our daughter,’ but then you realize if it’s not our daughter, it’s someone else’s.”
Angela Howell, a Douglas resident, shared her shock at the news, stating that Johnson seemed like a kind and gentle person when they first met. However, families who used Johnson’s services reported significant difficulties in communication. “We still have not yet received a death certificate that I paid for, in full, to Chris Johnson,” said Sherri Thomas. “I have called probably over 50 to 60 times, and he has not once returned my phone call.”
Some families had to threaten Johnson with legal action just to obtain the death certificates of their loved ones. Janell, another resident, recounted, “I told him I was going to get a lawyer involved. Then he finally got the death certificates back to me, almost after a year.”
Coffee County Coroner Brandon Musgrove stated, “My priority is to get the bodies properly identified and make the notifications to the family. Please bear with us. We’re working as diligently as we can.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has stated that they are working to centralize information from the community due to the complexity of the case. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are expected.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at 912-384-4227 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office at 912-389-4103. Anonymous tips can also be submitted via phone or by downloading the “See Something, Send Something” mobile app. Once the investigation concludes, the case file will be forwarded to the Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
