CHICAGO — More than 50 bodies were found improperly stored and decomposing at South Chicago Chapel on Thursday. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office stated that investigators found 57 bodies in various areas of the funeral home.

Police responded to the facility, located at 2939 E. 95th St. in the South Deering neighborhood of Chicago, around 2 p.m. on Thursday to assist the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation with a license investigation. Officers acted on a tip that bodies at the funeral home were not being stored at or below 40 degrees, as required by state regulations.

Funeral director Clark Morgan accompanied police officers on a walk-through of the building where they found the bodies. After the officers initially left the premises, Morgan told them he would not let them back into the building without a warrant and then padlocked the door. Officers called the Chicago Fire Department to help gain entry to the building after Clark Morgan padlocked the door.

Chicago police stated that their preliminary report incorrectly said fire department officials declared the scene a hazardous materials incident. No arrests have been announced, but city police said detectives are investigating.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation suspended the funeral director license of Johanna Morgan on Wednesday. The agency stated the license suspension was due to a finding that Johanna Morgan's continued practice is a danger to public safety because she allowed multiple decedents to be kept in an unrefrigerated area with deplorable conditions including rodent and maggot infestations.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office dispatched investigators and forensic pathologists to South Chicago Chapel, stating that the remains were in various states of decomposition. Staff is assessing the conditions of the remains and searching for documentation regarding identification of the decedents as well as death certificates. "This process could take several days to ensure proper disposition." The office stated it will work with authorities to identify the decedents as quickly as possible and notify their families. Neighbors reported a foul smell coming from the funeral home area.

Mayor Brandon Johnson stated he was horrified by what was happening at the funeral home and said an investigation into the operation was ongoing. "As this investigation continues, our hearts are with every family searching for answers. We hope they receive the clarity they deserve, and the peace of mind of knowing their loved ones will be laid to rest with the dignity, care, and respect every person deserves," Johnson said.

State business records show that Johanna Morgan incorporated South Chicago Chapel Inc. in 2022. State business records list Clark X. Morgan as the president of South Chicago Chapel. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation revoked Clark Morgan's funeral director license and fined him $10,000 in 2024 for practicing with an expired license and unprofessional conduct.

Johanna and Clark Morgan previously ran Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, which had its license revoked in 2025 after authorities discovered improperly stored bodies and hundreds of cremated remains that had never been returned to families. Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza stated that many of the bodies at Heights Crematory were stacked on top of each other, not refrigerated, and partially exposed. "Horrified. Again. The discovery of decomposing remains waiting to be laid to rest this week at a South Side funeral home is heartbreaking and an abomination. These are people – someone’s mother, father, sister, brother, child or friend, and they deserve better," Mendoza said.

Why It Matters

The discovery marks a second instance in three years where operators Johanna and Clark Morgan faced license revocation after authorities found improperly stored remains at their facilities. This pattern follows the 2025 closure of their Heights Crematory, which also involved unrefrigerated bodies and hundreds of unreturned cremated remains. The recurrence places multiple families in the position of waiting days for identification while officials assess documentation for 57 decedents.