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The director of a southern Indiana funeral dwelling the place 31 decomposing our bodies and the cremains of 17 others had been discovered pleaded responsible Friday to greater than 40 counts of felony theft.
Randy Lankford, proprietor of Lankford Funeral Dwelling and Household Heart in Jeffersonville, faces a proposed sentence of 12 years: 4 years in jail and eight years of dwelling incarceration, Clark County Circuit Courtroom Choose N. Lisa Glickfield stated.
Lankford was charged with theft for failing to finish the funeral companies he was paid for, and should additionally pay restitution to 53 households totaling $46,000.
Lankford was launched to dwelling incarceration following the listening to. A proper sentencing listening to is deliberate for June 23.
Jeffersonville Police started investigating the funeral dwelling early final July after the county coroner’s workplace reported a powerful odor emanating from the constructing. The unrefrigerated our bodies had been present in numerous states of decomposition, and a few had been on the funeral dwelling since March.
Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull stated the numerous fees towards Lankford and present court docket backups from the COVID-19 pandemic sophisticated the method. He stated he felt the state’s transfer to get rid of about half of the counts will grant essentially the most quick type of aid.
“We wished to get justice for these households,” he stated.
Derrick Kessinger attended Friday’s court docket listening to. He stated he trusted Lankford whereas the stays of three family members sat contained in the funeral dwelling.
“It’s been powerful, however I do forgive him for what he did,” Kessinger stated. “I hope he can discover forgiveness.”
Kessinger ultimately acquired the cremains.
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