Indiana Funeral Director Pleads Guilty To 40 Counts Of Theft After Founding Decomposing Bodies And  Failing To Complete Funeral Services

The Indiana funeral director of Lankford Funeral Home and Family Center pleaded guilty on Friday to more than 40 counts of felony theft after discovering  31 decomposing bodies and the cremains of 17 others.

Indiana Funeral Director Pleads Guilty To 40 Counts Of Theft After Founding Decomposing Bodies And  Failing To Complete Funeral Services (PHOTO: CTV News)

Indiana Funeral Director Pleads Guilty

Randy Lankford owner and the director of a southern Indiana funeral home Lankford Funeral Home and Family Center in Jeffersonville, faces a proposed sentence of 12 years: four years in prison and eight years of home incarceration, Clark County Circuit Court Judge N. Lisa Glickfield said.

This was all due to discovering that the Indiana funeral director failed to complete the funeral services he was paid for there were  31 decomposing bodies and the cremains of 17 others were found. Lankford pleaded guilty Friday to more than 40 counts of felony theft and must pay restitution to 53 families totaling $46,000, Clark County Circuit Court Judge N. Lisa Glickfield said.

ABC News reported that Lankford was released to home incarceration following the hearing. A formal sentencing hearing is planned for June 23.

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The Investigation Of The Funeral Home and Family Center in Jeffersonville Started In July Last Year

Last year the county coroner’s office reported a strong smell originating from the funeral home building that’s the time the investigation of the funeral home early last July started. The bodies were stored unproperly they were just put in an unrefrigerated place and it was already in various states of decomposition, and some had been at the funeral home since March.

Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull said that the procedure was challenging because of the many charges against Lankford and existing court backups from the COVID-19 pandemic. Mull said he felt the state’s move to stop about half of the counts will grant the most immediate form of relief.

Mull wanted to provide justice to the families affected by Lankford’s act.

Friday’s court hearing, Derrick Kessinger attended as he said that he trusted Lankford while the remains of three loved ones were seated inside the funeral home.

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