Funeral Home Remains Scandal
Colorado Funeral Home Owners Charged with Mishandling Two Dozen Deceased Remains
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Two brothers who owned Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, Colorado, have been charged with more than 150 felony counts after inspectors found 24 decomposing bodies hidden inside their funeral home. Rodney Thomas, 64, and his son Andrew "AJ" Thomas, 38, were arrested following a grand jury indictment and are now held on $1 million bond each, according to CBI.
The charges include 125 counts of abuse of a corpse, 9 counts of forgery, and more than 25 theft charges, KY3 reported. Investigators say the brothers forged cremation records and gave families ashes that may have been concrete mix rather than their loved ones' remains.
24 Bodies Found Rotting in a Non-Functional Freezer
In August 2023, state inspectors from Colorado's Division of Professions and Occupations made a grim discovery. They found 24 sets of human remains in various stages of decomposition. The bodies were stored in a broken refrigeration unit and other areas of the facility, according to Pueblo Chieftain. On August 31, 2023, the state summarily suspended the mortuary's registration, citing "imminent danger to public health and safety."
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Pueblo Police Department then launched a joint forensic investigation. By February 2024, details emerged that families had been handed back fake ashes. Some received what appeared to be concrete mix instead of cremated remains, The Denver Post reported. Three sets of remains are still unidentified.
Forgery and Theft Charges Reveal a Criminal Enterprise
Prosecutors say the Thomas brothers didn't just fail to do their jobs — they actively covered it up. The 9 forgery counts stem from falsified cremation certificates. The more than 25 theft charges relate to money families paid for services that were never performed, according to WAVE3.
District Attorney Jeff Chostner has been blunt about the case. "This is a breach of the highest trust," he said, adding that his office is "committed to seeking justice for the families whose grief was compounded by these actions," according to KRDO News. If convicted on all 125 abuse-of-corpse counts alone — each a class 6 felony — the brothers face what amounts to life in prison.
Colorado's 'Wild West' Funeral Laws Left Families Vulnerable
The Davis Mortuary case did not happen out of nowhere. Until recently, Colorado was the only state in the U.S. that did not require funeral directors to be licensed. There were no education or background check requirements to run a funeral home, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. This scandal followed the 2023 "Return to Nature" case in Penrose, Colorado, where nearly 200 bodies were found decomposing.
In May 2024, Governor Jared Polis signed two new laws — Senate Bill 24-173 and House Bill 24-1335 — requiring licensing, regular inspections, and greater transparency in the funeral industry, according to Colorado Public Radio. State Representative Brianna Titone, who sponsored the bills, used the Davis Mortuary findings as her key evidence that "voluntary compliance" had failed.
Victims Were Low-Income Families Who Trusted a Community Staple
Many of the victims came from low-income communities in Pueblo. They chose Davis Mortuary specifically because of its affordable cremation packages, according to a Pueblo Health Department report. Investigators say this points to a predatory element in the alleged crimes — targeting people with fewer resources and fewer options.
Civil attorneys representing victims' families are pursuing restitution of $6,000 to $15,000 per family for funeral costs and emotional distress. A class-action lawsuit is also expected to wipe out any remaining assets of the Thomas family and their business, according to BusinessDen. Local residents have held vigils, with many describing the mortuary as a community institution before the Thomas family took it over.
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