Investigation into Negligent Funeral Home Ends in Lawsuits
From time to time, all companies get a little behind in their work. Papers stack up, calls aren’t returned and customers have to wait. But a recent investigation into an Indiana funeral home shows what happens when the world’s second oldest profession neglects to stay on top of things.
According to news sources, Randy Lankford, owner of Lankford Family Funeral Home, spoke publicly after the investigation that produced 31 bodies and the cremated remains of 16 people. He was in Clark Superior Court No. 6 for an emergency hearing on evidence preservation related to a class action lawsuit families of the deceased have filed in civil court.
During the hearing, the court ordered Lankford to preserve a copy of his commercial lease and any records related to his business that he has now, or gets possession of later. Any records at his business from 2021 to the present also must be preserved. Lankford was ordered to not delete any emails related to matters from 2021 to the present. He was ordered to download Facebook accounts for himself, the business and his wife onto a flash drive to deliver to the court. He was also ordered to present the court banking statements from personal and private accounts.
The judge ordered Lankford to preserve his username and password from the software system he used at the funeral home. He’s also been ordered to preserve business insurance and policies and gave the court a copy of his communication with Travelers Insurance giving notice of the lawsuit against him.
“I am not allowed on the premises, according to detectives,” Lankford said in court. “You’ve seen on the news reports — they boarded up the doors and entrances.”
Lankford said there was one other employee who worked with him at the funeral home. He said this person was, “in a romantic relationship with me as well.” Lankford said that the relationship has been terminated.
Attorney Larry Wilder, representing some of the families, said what was heard in court Tuesday shows Lankford claims he has the insurance that could provide some of these families compensation for their losses, adding that nothing will ever make up for what they’ve been through.
“The idea this man is in that building doing the things he was doing, disgracing and disregarding what is just common decency with remains in that building. And carrying on like he was on ‘The Bachelor,’ I think that’s just another piece of the pie that makes you go, ‘Oh my God.”
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