Minisode 14 – GWIH: Tristate Crematory Scandal!
Welcome back, ya’ll! On this episode, we discuss the Tristate Crematorium Scandal…a super sick bit of info about the abuse of human corpses by what should have been a trusted and reputable facility. Quikrete, anyone??
STOP! INSIDE JOKES AHEAD!
If you haven’t gotten to listen to the episode yet, spoiler alert! This post contains lots of stuff that will make waaay more sense if you listen to the episode before or while reading. So if you haven’t already, pump the brakes and listen to the episode or just click above to play so that you can be in on all the shenanigans to follow!
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Produced by Peter Woodward
Thanks to our special guest on this episode…JOEY, Peter’s big ol’ little bro bro! Thanks for filling in for Jeremy, Joe!
TRISTATE CREMATORY
A known and trusted crematorium...
The Tristate Crematory was founded in the 1970s. It was an established and dependable fixture in the community for decades before it entered the news and infamy.
So what happened exactly?
Well, in February of 2002, an anonymous tip was received regarding body parts being found in the woods near the crematorium. Upon investigation of the site, authorities immediately found bones and body parts on the property in a state of…well, let’s just say the parts were nowhere near being properly stored or disposed of.
This led to the immediate arrest of Ray Brent Marsh, the current owner and operator of Tristate Crematory.
When all was said and done, over 300 bodies were found scattered haphazardly in and around the grounds, the woods nearby, and the lake that was on the property.
The Background
Tri-State Crematory was established in the mid-1970s by Tommy Marsh, a local businessman and aspiring politician. He ran the crematorium until 1996 when his failing health made it necessary for his son Ray Brent Marsh to take over.
Tri-State was so named because it served areas in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. The facility had become a known and trusted place in the community for the care of deceased loved ones.
What Is They Doin' at Tri-State???
No one had any reason to think otherwise until a couple of weird sightings…
In October of 2000, a gas man reported spotting bodies scattered around the facility. Apparently, when local authorities responded, they were unable to verify this report.
Another tip was reported anonymously to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the next year. This stated that there were body parts in the woods around Tri-State. Again, authorities were unable to substantiate these claims.
Finally, a tip to the EPA in 2002 claiming a local community member’s dog had found a human bone while on a walk near the property brought everything to light.
Agents for the EPA found an absolute horror show. Bodies, bodies everywhere: out in the open, in vaults, sheds, in coffins, in the woods, and in the lake on the property. The bodies were in various states of decomposition and dress, with some dressed in funeral-type clothing and some still in hospital gowns! When all was said and done, a total of 339 bodies were found. Sick, sick, sick.
Arrest and Trial
He has since attempted to get his probation altered, either shortened or dismissed, and they’re just like “Nah, dawg. Not happening.”
It happened again...? And recently???
Yyyyeah. It did. Take a look at these winners…
Meet Jon and Carie Hallford, owners and operators of Return to Nature Burial & Cremation in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This lovely twosome is alleged to have mishandled the remains of almost 200 people between 2019 and 2023.
The case is still ongoing and everything is alleged. But…
They are accused of fraud, money laundering, mishandling of corpses, illegal use of pandemic relief funds amounting around $900K, and taking approximately $130K worth of services from grieving families for services they did not perform.
It is also alleged they were giving powdered concrete to families in place of cremains and knowingly buried at least two wrong bodies at funerals. Bruhhhhhhh…
They were arrested following the discovery of 190 decomposing bodies found in a “bug-infested storage building”, some of which had been there since 2019.
It is reported that the couple used the money for things like dinners, vacations, vehicles, and tuition for their child, all the while leaving tens of thousands of unpaid debt in their wake.
Allegedly…
Why the Hell...?
Why in the world would someone do this? What’s in it for them? Was it laziness? Malice? Psychosis? Equipment failure?
In the case of Ray Brent Marsh, he first stated there were problems with the crematory oven. Well, that was disproven when the equipment on site was tested and found to be in working order.
His defense team then claimed during his trial that Marsh had unusually high levels of mercury in his system and that this may have caused mercury toxicity. This is the syndrome that affected hat makers in the 18th and 19th century that led to the term “Mad as a hatter.” In Marsh’s case, It would have supposedly come from the burning of the bodies that contained mercury in their dental fillings. But he wasn’t burning the bodies…soooo….?
As for what he had to say for himself…
“During his guilty plea in court, he stated: “To those of you who may have come here today looking for answers, I cannot give you.”
As for the other two wastes of space in Colorado, their stuff is still “alleged.” So…we’ll see what they have to say in the future. They are supposed to be tried in October of 2024.
WHAT ELSE DID WE TALK ABOUT?
Mad Hatters
“Mad hatters” are thought to be the result of mercury poisoning that affected hat makers over time. In the process of turning fur into felt, hat makers utilized a chemical called mercury nitrate that, over time, caused harmful physiological effects. Wanna know more? Here’s a cool article from the History Channel:
https://www.history.com/news/where-did-the-phrase-mad-as-a-hatter-come-from
What ARE the types of jobs at a crematorium?
According to an article from ZipRecruiter, the jobs at a crematory/crematorium include crematory technician, crematory operator, and crematory director. The director oversees the operators and technicians and handle administrative functions. The technicians and operators have overlapping tasks that include working with the bodies and their processing as well as assisting the families of the deceased with things like paperwork, transportation, and funeral services.
Jones BBQ and Foot Massaaaage!!
No explanation needed. It’s wonderful.
Well, I'll Be Damned...
It’s a real thing. You, too, can be a tree when you die. Apparently, you can just call these folks up and find your perfect match for a tree and do the thing. Huh…wow. K.
STRANGE WOODS PODCAST RECOMMENDS...
Episode 13 - Crop Circles and Wasted Wallabies
This was a fun episode we did last year with Joey as a guest! If you haven’t heard it yet, give it a listen! You can find it in the menu above under Episodes or search for the title!
Epic Rap Battles of History: Darth Vader vs Hitler
It is…amazing. And there are literally dozens of different battles to watch on the ERB YouTube channel. Get into it!
Well, that one was kind of dark, but I think we all learned some things here…
- Laziness is never a good look. Particularly where proper body disposal is concerned.
- If you see body parts laying around…well…anywhere…friggin tell someone! And then follow up. Js.
- You, too, can be a tree.
- And as always, don’t forget to STAY STRANGE!
LATER, STRANGERS!
Some articles and sources:
Peter’s wife. Registered nurse. Uber-fan of The Strange Woods Podcast.
