A Jacksonville funeral director accused of improperly handling the remains of clients has been apprehended in Orange County, according to the Department of Financial Services.
Elliot Maurice Graham, 49, faces a charge of false and fraudulent insurance claims, grand theft and five counts of misdemeanor improper preservation of of a human body.
Family members have come forward the past few days, claiming Graham did not properly embalm their relatives. A warrant was issued for his arrest earlier this week.
"It was a horrible experience. And I feel like no grieving family should have to go through that. During one of their most vulnerable times," Takenya Sutton said.
On Thursday, Ola Mae Brown Jackson's family spoke with reporters just 24 hours after state investigators told them her body was found. Jackson passed away after a battle with cancer in September 2023. Her family remembered her as a loving mother, aunt, and wife. They used Marion Graham Mortuaries for the wake and cremation.
Months went by, and the family said they still had not received her remains. Her husband decided to go down to the funeral home off Gandy Street on Jan. 14 to confront the funeral director, Graham. He said Graham made him wait outside for 45 minutes before bringing out what he claimed were Jackson's remains. Then they decided to file a complaint.
"We never imagined this," Paula Wright, Jackson's sister-in-law, said.
Takenya Sutton and Danielle Streater's family also used Marion Graham Mortuaries for their cousin's funeral. They said it turned out to be a horrible experience because their cousin's body was not embalmed correctly.
"We were barely able to have a wake. The family viewed the body briefly. From there, we had to close it off for the public because the smell was horrible," Streater explained.
After receiving a complaint alleging the mishandling of the remains, the state agency that oversees funerals and cemeteries acted to secure the premises and take care of the bodies remaining there.
State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said that the state would "aggressively" pursue Graham and sought to "put (him) behind bars for a very long time."
Sutton and Streater told First Coast News they felt relieved to know an investigation was opened into the funeral home's practices.
"Everyone deserves to be buried with dignity and respect. And our loved one did not get that. And that was very heartbreaking. And it's been very hard to deal with this whole year. So just to finally see something happening, it feels good," Sutton said.
The Department of Financial Services is now working to help families who have a a pre-need contract with Marion Graham Mortuaries. Unless DFS contacts you directly, there is no reason to believe you do not have the cremated remains of your loved one.
The investigation is ongoing.
