Overview
- Detectives recovered 79 sets of cremains on April 11 during a follow-up inspection at Richardson Mortuary after Hurricane Beryl damage in July 2024.
- Investigators have returned 22 sets to families and are seeking relatives for the remaining 57 within the 30-day notice window.
- HPD released a list naming the unclaimed individuals and the crematories that handled them to aid identification efforts.
- Anyone who believes they are next of kin is asked to contact HPD’s Major Offenders Division at 713-308-3100 before the deadline.
- The mortuary remains under criminal investigation, with former directors Michael Richardson and Gayle Bell charged with felony abuse of corpse after inspectors found decomposed bodies at the facility.