89 sets of cremated remains found in abandoned Ohio church
By MARK GILLISPIE, Associated Press
Posted:
Updated:
CLEVELAND (AP) — Ohio investigators have found the cremated remains of 89 people stored in boxes and bags at an abandoned church in Akron, authorities said.
The remains were seized at Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church on Tuesday by investigators from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, attorney general spokesperson Steve Irwin said Thursday.
The church is owned by Shawnte Hardin, 41, who faces 44 counts including racketeering, tampering with records, identity fraud and abuse of a corpse in Lucas County, over 100 miles from Akron.
Some of the charges are for alleged criminal violations in Franklin, Summit and Cuyahoga counties, where authorities say Hardin acted as an unlicensed funeral director. The cases were consolidated in Toledo. Hardin has pleaded not guilty.
Hardin’s attorney, Richard Kerger, said Thursday that a former funeral director named Robert Tate Jr. asked Hardin in 2017 to store the ashes of people whose families had not claimed them.
“There was no compensation for him,” Kerger said of Hardin. “He was just doing a service for someone who needed it.”
Tate pleaded no contest to one felony and three misdemeanor charges in November 2015 after authorities board found 11 bodies in various states of decay at his Toledo funeral home. He was sentenced to a week in jail and probation. He died in December at age 65.
The remains in Akron were initially discovered Sunday by a woman who told a state investigator she was an “urban explorer” and had entered an open door of an abandoned church. She contacted the Ohio State Bureau of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, triggering the state investigation.
The woman said some of the ashes dated to 2010, according to a search warrant affidavit written by state investigative agent Arvin Clar.
Kerger disputed that the church was abandoned. He said Hardin has not been able to check on the building since being placed on home detention at his mother’s home in Columbus while awaiting trial.
Hardin was initially indicted on 37 counts in September after being accused of running an unlicensed funeral operation. The investigation began that same month after someone called 911 and reported seeing a corpse being moved from a van into a building.
State agents subsequently removed two bodies from the building.
Hardin told a Columbus television station at the time he was not acting as a funeral director but instead offered low cost services for transporting and washing dead bodies.
He was charged with seven additional counts, including abuse of a corpse in December.
According to his attorney, state law does not require a funeral director’s license to bury people.
“There’s nothing wrong with helping people dispose the remains of their loved ones,” Kerger said.
Michael Sohn
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, welcomes the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, left, for a military welcome ceremony prior to a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
Seth Wenig
Men unload the bodies of victims of a building fire at a funeral home in the Queens borough of New York, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Many of the victims of New York City's deadliest fire in years are still awaiting burial after funerals began with services for two children killed by Sunday's blaze in a Bronx apartment building. Community leaders have been huddling to make arrangements for the 17 dead. They included eight children. The vast majority of the dead had ties to the West African nation of Gambia. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Seth Wenig
People hug after viewing a memorial for the victims of an apartment building fire near the site of the fire in the Bronx borough of New York, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Many of the victims of New York City’s deadliest fire in years are still awaiting burial after funerals began with services for two children killed by Sunday’s blaze in a Bronx apartment building. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Andrew Harnik
President Joe Biden speaks to the media after meeting privately with Senate Democrats, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Themba Hadebe
Cameroon's captain Vincent Aboubakar celebrates his second goal of the match, during the African Cup of Nations 2022 group A soccer match between Cameroon and Ethiopia at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Sergei Stepanov
Russia's Alexandra Trusova performs in the women short program during the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Sergei Stepanov)
Martin Meissner
Syrian woman Yasmen Almashan holds the pictures of her five in Syria died brothers before the verdict in front of the court in Koblenz, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. The German court has convicted a former Syrian secret police officer of crimes against humanity for overseeing the abuse of detainees at a jail near Damascus a decade ago. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Robert F. Bukaty
A large ice disk slowly rotates in the Presumpscot River in Westbrook, Maine, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Ice disks form as a result of a current and vortex under the ice. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Andrew Medichini
People gather in front of a memorial stone unveiled a the end of a march on the 10th anniversary of the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster, in the Tuscan island of Isola del Giglio, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Italy on Thursday is marking the anniversary of the cruise ship disaster with a daylong commemoration, honoring the 32 people who died. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Andrew Medichini
A flower wreath is set out to sea during a commemoration for the the victims of the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster, in front of the Isola del Giglio, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Italy on Thursday is marking the 10th anniversary of the cruise ship disaster with a daylong commemoration, honoring the 32 people who died. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Antonio Calanni
AC Milan's Daniel Maldini, left, vies for the ball with Genoa's Leo Ostigard during an Italian Cup soccer match between AC Milan and Genoa at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Sergei Grits
Municipal workers cover the burnt city hall building for repairing in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has blamed the unrest on foreign-backed "terrorists" and requested assistance from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Russia-led military alliance of six ex-Soviet states. The bloc sent over 2,000 troops to Kazakhstan last week. On Tuesday Tokayev declared their mission complete and said they would start pulling out on Thursday. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Mark Zaleski
Nashville Predators right wing Eeli Tolvanen (28) collides with Buffalo Sabres goaltender Aaron Dell (80) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Dell was attempting to clear puck away from Predators defenders. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Hassan Ammar
Athletic Bilbao's player celebrate after a goal during the Spanish Super Cup semi final soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at King Fahd stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Darko Vojinovic
Fireworks illuminate the sky over St. Sava Temple in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. Orthodox Christians in Serbia celebrate New Year on Jan. 14, according to the Julian calendar. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Carolyn Kaster
A rare snowy owl perches on a bald eagle flag pole topper in front of Union Station in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Matt York
Vaughn Taylor plays his shot from the 11th tee during the first round of the Sony Open golf tournament, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)
