Funeral directors question Illinois oversight after dozens of decomposing bodies found at South Chicago Chapel

The discovery of dozens of decomposing bodies at a Chicago funeral home run by a couple with a history of mishandling human remains has raised questions about how Illinois regulates the funeral home and crematory industries.

Funeral home directors from across the country have said they're outraged by the South Chicago Chapel funeral home case, not just because it paints the industry in a bad light, but because they say it could have been prevented with the right oversight.

"How could this happen, considering what happened a year ago?" said Andy Clayton, executive director and CEO of the Indiana Funeral Directors Association.

Clark Morgan operated a crematory in Chicago Heights that was shut down in 2025 —  accused of mishandling the bodies of people who had recently died.

His wife, Johanna Morgan, was allowed to continue running the South Chicago Chapel funeral home, where 56 decomposing bodies and more than 50 cremated remains were found last week.

The discovery exposed a gap that funeral directors said should have been closed more than a year ago.

Because Illinois crematories are regulated by the Illinois State Comptroller's office and funeral homes fall under the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, no single agency was tracking both businesses or the family that ran them.

"I mean, the obvious evidence here early on is just absolutely inexcusable and deplorable," Clayton said.

In Indiana, that kind of regulatory agency gap doesn't exist, according to Clayton.

Attorney Michael Sharkey, who represents the Illinois Funeral Directors Association and several other state associations, questioned why Illinois regulators weren't closely monitoring the Morgans after the Chicago Heights crematory was shut down.

"How could they possibly be back in business?" he said.

Sharkey pointed to a case in Minnesota – where regulation of crematories and funeral homes also is under one roof – as a model for what ongoing oversight should look like.

"They did surprise inspections every couple of months, they did audits, they were absolutely under scrutiny," Sharkey said. "I can't help but wonder if the state of Illinois had taken that approach … this would not have happened."

George Kelder, executive director and CEO of the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, said the Illinois situation reflects a broader problem seen across the country: regulatory agencies that lack the authority, staffing and funding to act proactively.

"They should have said, 'Oh, the Morgans. Do they own any other businesses in the state of Illinois?'" he said. "It's almost a lack of intellectual curiosity."

The Illinois State Comptroller's office said they "repeatedly urged IDFPR to take away Johanna's funeral director's license."

Despite repeated requests since last week, the Illinois Department of Financial Regulation has yet to respond to that claim.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said they have now identified 33 of the 56 bodies found decomposing in South Chicago Chapel last week. Officials have notified 25 of those families.

Several families whose loved ones' remains were handled by South Chicago Chapel gathered in the Morgan Park neighborhood on Friday, looking for answers. Some don't know if their loved one was among the decaying bodies found last week, but they all called Morgans' funeral home "sketchy" and said something should have been done sooner.

A team of lawyers was offering legal advice to the families who might have been impacted.

Sheila Clark Jones said her niece's funeral was at the South Chicago Chapel on July 18. She said some people noticed a bad odor at the funeral home at the time.

Her niece's remains were supposed to be cremated, and then the family was supposed to come pick up the ashes at a later date. But then she saw the news about the decomposing bodies found there, and now she's not sure where what happened to her niece's remains.

"It's very hard. It's very hard, because it's almost like she's dying twice, if that makes sense. It's hard," she said.

Jacqueline Russ said her mother's remains were taken to the same funeral home when she died in 2024. Since it was not an open casket funeral, she said she's now left wondering whether her mother was actually buried and whether she was treated with respect.

"I don't know. Bottom line is I don't know if my mom is in her grave. I'm praying she is," Russ said.