Alabama authorities seek mortuary records in crematory probe

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - Authorities sought records from funeral homes in northeast Alabama Tuesday to help identify scores of bodies that were found littering a Georgia crematory. <br> <br> At least two Alabama funeral homes sent bodies to Tri-State Crematory in Noble, Georgia, and the number could go higher. <br> <br> Ray Brent Marsh is charged with 16 counts of theft by deception for allegedly taking money for cremations that never were performed. <br> <br> While cremation is relatively uncommon in the rural South, officials said as many as 30 funeral homes in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee routinely sent bodies to Tri-State. <br> <br> Authorities said at least 149 bodies had been found. <br> <br> Sheriff Cecil Reed said his office had subpoenaed records from all eleven funeral homes in DeKalb County in case they had any information that could assist in the probe. <br> <br> Reed said only two funeral homes responded immediately and both had sent bodies to the crematory, located just across the state line. <br> <br> Funeral director Ned Ayres said Burt Funeral Home in Fort Payne used Tri-State Crematory only four times, and all those were in 1996. Ayres said he did business with Marsh&#39;s father, who operated the business until his son took over about seven years ago. <br> <br> Manager Ken Vaughn said Kerby Funeral Home in Henagar sent three bodies to Tri-State Crematory last year, and an undetermined number of bodies were sent in previous years. <br> <br> Vaughn said relatives of some of the people cremated through Kerby Funeral Home had called asking questions about Tri-State. <br> <br> Investigators have said Marsh told them the bodies were not cremated because the incinerator was broken. Authorities said evidence showed some bodies could have been dumped more than 15 years ago. <br> <br> Officials said some of the bodies would never be identified.