Fremont County coroner Randy Keller.Photo:Parker Seibold/The Gazette via AP
Parker Seibold/The Gazette via AP
Police found at least 189 decaying bodies at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Pensore, Colo., a town of fewer than 3,500 people, on Oct. 4, the Associated Press and theColorado Springs Gazettereport. An investigation began two weeks prior when an “abhorrent smell” was reported inside the building, according to the outlets.
The number of bodies is expected to rise as the investigation continues, police said.
A family member of one of the deceased whose bodies had been in the care of the funeral home spoke with the AP saying she believes the ashes she was given of her mother were fake.
“My mom’s last wish was for her remains to be scattered in a place she loved, not rotting away in a building,” Tanya Wilson told the outlet.
Return to Nature Funeral Home.Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP
Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’sfree True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Other families whospoke with the APclaimed they did not receive identification tags with their loved ones' remains, and some believe the ashes had a consistency similar to dry concrete, and solidified when mixed with water.
According to the AP, identifying the deceased, which might include fingerprint testing, DNA testing and accessing medical and dental records, may take a few weeks.
It’s unclear whether any criminal charges will be filed in the case. PEOPLE was unable to speak with anyone at the funeral home when contacted earlier this week.
source: people.com
