LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Charges have been filed against the director of a Jeffersonville funeral home where dozens of bodies were found last month.

Randy Lankford is charged with six counts of Theft related to the mishandling of remains at Lankford Funeral Home.

"Today marks the beginning of the process of trying to get justice for a lot of family members in the situation," said Clark Co. Prosecutor Jeremy Mull on Wednesday.

In July, police were sent to the funeral home at 3106 Middle Road after neighbors reported a strange smell. Investigators say they found 31 bodies, as well as the cremated remains of 17 people.

According to court documents, the oldest body dated back to March 2022. Court documents show that investigators contacted several people who were falsely told by Lankford that they were given the cremated remains of their loved ones.

Mull says the current charges pertains to three of the families affected. 

"These are charges where the situation was there was not going to be any additional testing that could be done that was going to assist me in these charges. So I was able to file these based upon the evidence that I have in the case," Mull said. "There is additional activity that's being done by the forensic laboratory as far as identification, and I do expect there to be many more charges filed possibly dozens more, as the results of that investigation are forwarded to me."

Some of the families involved are concerned with the type of charges filed, arguing there should be more than theft included in the case. 

"What about all the other crimes he committed? I mean, allowing a body to lay in a room with no air conditioning and to continue to take people's loved ones, why didn't he stop," said Amanda Humphrey, whose father's remains were found at the Lankford Funeral Home. "You know, there's only so long you can say. 'Can you just be calm? Can you just wait? Can you just be patient?' And then you get this smack in the face." 

Mull says he understands why families are frustrated, but that current statutes don't quite fit what's occurred and he can't file non-existent charges.

"In my opinion, should it be a crime to take someone's loved one, the remains, and for them to be treated in this way? Absolutely," Mull said. But, again, I am working with what's on the books right now and doing what I can to get justice based on the options that I have as a prosecutor." 

Humphrey says she thought when Lankford was charged criminally she'd feel closure, but now she's questioning if her family will ever get it.

Mull anticipates any further charges filed will likely also be for theft. 

There are currently two class action civil lawsuits filed against Lankford by relatives of people found at the funeral home.

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