JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville funeral director accused of mishandling funds and bodies at Marion Graham Mortuaries is now being held without bond.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Elliot Graham is in Duval County Jail facing multiple felony charges.
Action News Jax learned that Graham’s funeral director license has been invalid since September.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Last week, Graham was arrested in Orange County, and on Thursday, he was brought back to Jacksonville to face charges.
Graham is charged with felony charges of grand theft and false fraudulent insurance claims. He also faces 5 misdemeanor counts of improper preservation of a human body.
A report from state investigators said that on Jan. 30, they served a warrant to perform a compliance check after Graham had “multiple refusals of inspection.” The report said that Graham said he was going through “personal matters” and was “unavailable” for inspection.
Read: ‘We do not forget:’ 15 years since Haleigh Cummings’ disappearance in Putnam County
The arrest warrant said 3 bodies were found inside body bags and infested with insects from being stored in a non-refrigerated and non-air-conditioned facility.
Ola Mae Jackson died in September of last year. Her family chose Marion Graham Mortuaries to hold the funeral. Her husband said Jackson’s body was one of the bodies investigators found inside the abandoned funeral home.
“Four months without electricity, and she’s been in there all that time. I mean, it’s just sad. Four months?” Johnnie Jackson, Ola Mae’s husband, said. “It’s sad. He gave me something that wasn’t even my wife.”
A judge denied Graham bond on Friday. He is due back in court at the end of February.
Read: SJSO releases body-cam video from November deputy-involved shooting in Davis Park
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
