HOUSTON – A stabbing is under investigation at a funeral home in southwest Houston after multiple deceased bodies were reportedly found in poor condition due to air conditioning issues, according to the family of one of the deceased.
The Houston Police Department said officers were called to Richardson Mortuary around 11:55 a.m. regarding a reported stabbing.
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The incident began when several family members arrived at the mortuary and discovered that the facility had no functioning air conditioning, allegedly due to ongoing construction. A relative of one of the deceased contacted KPRC 2, claiming that bodies were scattered throughout the mortuary — some inside caskets, others outside of them — and that the conditions were unacceptable.
The relative, whose mother’s funeral was scheduled for Saturday, recorded video footage of the mortuary’s interior. His sister later told KPRC 2 that her brother was stabbed by a funeral home employee after they discovered their mother’s body in an advanced state of decomposition, possibly related to the A/C failure.
I raised the casket up and I looked in it and it was my mom. Had gnats already on her, she was sweating,” said Tamara McGruber Crooks.
Houston police said the fight between the man and employee started once he uploaded the video to his social media. The employee got into a scuffle with the man before pulling out the knife.
The victim drove himself to a hospital and was treated for minor injures before being released, HPD said.
By the time HPD arrived, they said there were a total of 10 bodies were on the ground.
KPRC2 Reporter Corley Peel spoke with Murita Brown who rushed to the funeral home after seeing her grandmother’s body on the video posted on social media.
“She was a loving person. She fed everybody. She’ll give you the clothes off her back. And she was a fighter. She was in a wheelchair. She was paralyzed. To see her arm kind of like draped off that stretcher, it’s just, it’s heartbreaking. But at the end of the day, I know God has this thing at the end of it all,” said Brown.
A Harris County Precinct 7 constable said he spoke with the funeral homeowner, who reported that several vans had been called to transport the bodies to a properly air-conditioned facility.
The owner told the Pct. 7 Constable James Phillips he had a heart attack and is in the hospital as families continue to look for answers.
It is currently unclear whether all families with loved ones at the mortuary have been notified.
We are being told that the bodies were taken to Bobby Swearington’s funeral home in Fort Bend County. Corley spoke with the CEO, Bobby Swearington, who said the owner of Richardson Morturary has been in the hospital for two weeks. He said the funeral home is under construction after receiving damage from Hurricane Beryl. Swearington said he is helping some of the families with their services.
Phillips told families with loved ones at Richardson mortuary who are looking for answers to call 713-396-2966.
Regulatory investigators won’t visit the Richardson mortuary until April 14.
Graphic details from the video
The video recorded by the family member showed disturbing scenes. Several bodies were placed in non-refrigerated rooms. One body was fully covered, while another man’s body was dressed from the waist down in a suit. A second male body appeared undressed but was covered from the chest to the ankles, and a woman in a purple dress had her legs wrapped in plastic.
The footage also showed debris scattered on the ground, closed caskets, cardboard boxes, and plastic jugs filled with unknown liquids. A makeshift plastic divider separated the room containing bodies from another room with only caskets — it’s unclear if those caskets were occupied.
Six closed caskets were shown in the second room. Some were covered with plastic for protection, while others had empty water jugs and what appeared to be garbage placed on top. The main room of the mortuary appeared to be under construction, with at least nine closed caskets also visible.