Illinois Halts Chicago Funeral Home After 50 Decomposing Bodies Found
Chicago police found more than 50 decomposing human bodies stored in an unrefrigerated area at South Chicago Chapel Funeral Home during a licensing inspection on Thursday, August 6, 2026.[1]
Illinois regulators suspended funeral director Johanna Morgan's license for allowing decedents to be kept in an unrefrigerated area with rodent infestation, visible decomposition and maggot infestation.[2] The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office sent investigators and forensic pathologists to the chapel and said the remains were in various states of decomposition while staff searched for identification records and death certificates.[1] Chicago police said the case remains under investigation, that no arrests had been made and that it was unclear how long the bodies had been at the facility or what prompted the inspection.[1]
State business records list Clark Morgan as president of South Chicago Chapel, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza identified Johanna and Clark Morgan as the operators of the chapel.[1] Clark Morgan previously owned Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, which was shut down in 2025 after allegations of mishandling bodies.[2] CBS News described photos from a trailer at Heights Crematory showing bodies partly wrapped in sheets or clear plastic with faces and body parts exposed.[2] Employees from Emmanuel Funeral Home & Cremation Services said they arrived the evening of August 6 to retrieve a body and found the chapel locked and investigators already on scene after their calls went unanswered.[2] A neighbor identified only as 'V' said a persistent strong odor from the funeral home had been noticeable for about a year.[2]
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- Chicago police were called on Thursday, August 6, 2026, to assist with a licensing inspection at South Chicago Chapel Funeral Home and discovered more than 50 human bodies stored in an unrefrigerated area (South Chicago Chapel Funeral Home).
- Illinois regulators suspended funeral director Johanna Morgan’s license for allowing multiple decedents to be kept in an unrefrigerated area with rodent infestation, visible decomposition and maggot infestation (Johanna Morgan).
- The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office sent investigators and forensic pathologists to the chapel, reported the remains were in various states of decomposition and said staff are assessing the condition of the remains while searching for identification records and death certificates (Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office).
- Chicago police said the case remains under investigation, that no arrests had been made as of the reports, and that it was unclear how long the bodies had been at the facility or what specifically prompted the inspection (Chicago police).
- Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza publicly identified Johanna and Clark Morgan as the operators of South Chicago Chapel and said they previously ran a crematory that had been shut down over similar allegations (Susana Mendoza).
- State business records list Clark Morgan as president of South Chicago Chapel; he previously owned Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, which was shut down in 2025 after allegations of mishandling bodies (Clark Morgan).
- CBS News Chicago obtained and described photos from a trailer at Heights Crematory showing bodies partly wrapped in sheets or clear plastic with faces and body parts exposed, raising questions about non‑refrigerated storage (photos from a trailer at Heights Crematory).
- Staff from Emmanuel Funeral Home & Cremation Services arrived at South Chicago Chapel on the evening of August 6 to retrieve a body and discovered the ongoing investigation after their calls to the chapel went unanswered (Emmanuel Funeral Home & Cremation Services).
- A neighbor identified only as 'V' said they had smelled a persistent, strong odor from the funeral home for about a year, describing it as like a dead mouse (neighbor identified only as 'V').
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The New York Times confirms that Chicago police were called to assist with a license investigation at South Chicago Chapel Funeral Home on Thursday, August 6, 2026, and discovered more than 50 human bodies stored in an unrefrigerated area.
- The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office sent investigators and forensic pathologists to the funeral home and reported that the remains were in various states of decomposition; its staff are assessing the condition of the remains and searching for documentation such as identification records and death certificates.
- Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, whose office licenses funeral homes, publicly identified Johanna and Clark Morgan as the operators of South Chicago Chapel Funeral Home and noted that they previously ran a crematory that was shut down over similar allegations.
- Chicago police stated that the case remains under investigation and that, as of the time of the article, no arrests had been made and it was unclear how long the bodies had been at the facility or what specifically prompted the inspection.
- Article confirms Chicago police were at South Chicago Chapel on Thursday, August 6, 2026, and are actively going in and out of the facility.
- Illinois regulators suspended funeral director Johanna Morgan's license specifically for allowing multiple decedents to be kept in an unrefrigerated area with rodent infestation, decomposition, and maggot infestation.
- A neighbor identified only as "V" reports having smelled a persistent, strong odor from the funeral home for about a year, describing it as like a dead mouse.
- Staff from Emmanuel Funeral Home & Cremation Services arrived at South Chicago Chapel on the evening of August 6 to retrieve a body and discovered the ongoing investigation after their calls to the chapel went unanswered.
- State business records list Clark Morgan, Johanna Morgan's husband, as president of South Chicago Chapel; he previously owned Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, which was shut down in 2025 for alleged mishandling of bodies.
- CBS News Chicago obtained and describes photos from a trailer at Heights Crematory showing bodies partially wrapped in sheets or clear plastic bags, with faces and body parts exposed and questions raised about non‑refrigerated storage areas.