A south Georgia funeral home director is under arrest after police found 18 decomposing bodies inside his facility during an eviction process

Chris Johnson, 39, has been charged with 17 counts of abuse of a dead body, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation says more charges are expected.

The bureau said the investigation began on Saturday when Coffee County Sheriff’s deputies found the 18 human bodies — and two pets — while serving an eviction notices at Johnson Funeral Home. The sheriff’s office called in state investigators to help.

Residents of Douglas, the small Georgia town where the funeral home is located, told WALB that they had difficulty contacting Johnson when using his services.

“We still have not yet received a death certificate that I paid for, in full, to Chris Johnson,” said Sherri Thomas. “I have called probably over 50-60 times, and he has not once returned my phone call. And I just wonder with all these bodies, is that even my mama’s body in this urn?”

Coffee County Coroner Brandon Musgrove told the station his offie was working to properly identified the remains found at the funderal home “and make notifications to the family.”

“Please bear with us,” he said. “We’re working as diligently as we can.”

Anyone with information should contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office at (912) 384-4227 or the GBI Regional Investigative Office at (912) 389-4103. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-(800) 597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

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[Featured image: Chris Johnson/Coffee County Sheriff’s Office]