HOUSTON, TX — Two Texas funeral home directors face multiple felony charges after authorities discovered over a dozen decomposing bodies at Richardson Mortuary. The bodies were found in unsanitary conditions, with one reportedly in a “largely liquified” state.
Michael Richardson and Gayle Elaine Bell were taken into custody and charged with three counts each of abuse of a corpse. The charges arose from a probable cause affidavit detailing a witness report to the Houston Police Department.
On Friday, officers responded to a call from a woman regarding potential abuse of a corpse at Richardson Mortuary, located on Brookfield Drive. The woman indicated that her mother had died on March 31, and she had paid over $17,000 for funeral services.
The report states that the woman met with Richardson, who claimed to be the funeral director, and took custody of her mother’s body. In the days leading up to the scheduled funeral on April 12, the woman attempted to contact the funeral home to bring clothing for her mother but was met with refusal.
Upon visiting the funeral home on April 11, the woman discovered her mother in a coffin infested with bugs and noted other bodies in varying stages of decay. The affidavit confirms that the building was unsanitary and open to the elements.
A witness, reportedly the woman’s brother, recorded the conditions within the mortuary and shared the footage on social media. The video portrayed numerous caskets and bodies in a facility undergoing construction.
Following the viral video, families of the deceased gathered outside the mortuary as another company was contracted to transport the bodies to a hygienic facility. The Texas Funeral Services Commission issued a cease and desist order for the mortuary on April 14.
Richardson and Bell are not currently detained, with bond set at $5,000, and they are scheduled to appear in Harris County Circuit Court on October 15. Authorities continue to investigate the situation, and the families of the deceased seek answers.