On Friday, the director of an Indiana funeral home pleaded guilty to 40 counts of felony theft. An investigation revealed that 31 decomposing bodies and 17 cremated remains had been left to decay in his funeral home for months.
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Court Filings And Pleas
Randy Lankford from Jeffersonville, Indiana was charged with theft by prosecutors for not fulfilling funeral services that 53 families had paid for. The judge ordered Lankford to repay the families a total of $46,000.
In July 2022, the Jeffersonville Police Department started looking into Lankford Funeral Home and Family Center following an unpleasant smell reported by the county coroner. Upon investigation, it was found that some of the corpses had been left in the funeral home since March and were in an advanced state of decay.
On Friday, Clark County Circuit Court Judge N. Lisa Glickfield stated in court that if Lankford is sentenced, he would face a proposed sentence of four years in prison along with eight years of home incarceration.
Statements From Affected Families
Derrick Kessinger waited for a response from Langford while the remains of three of his family members were in his funeral home. On Friday, Langford pleaded guilty in court and Kessinger said he eventually received the cremated remains of his relatives.
“It’s been tough, but I do forgive him for what he did,” Kessinger shared with local outlets. “I hope he can find forgiveness.”
As stated by the Clark County Circuit Court records, Lankford will have a sentencing hearing on June 23 and a restitution hearing on September 20, during which the judge will decide how much money he must pay his victims.
Lankford is awaiting his sentencing and restitution hearing dates on house arrest.