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CNN Sunday Morning

Human Remains Found in Noble, Georgia

Aired February 17, 2002 - 07:14   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: In northwest Georgia, a story that the sheriff called 10 times worse than the worst horror movie you've seen. The grounds around a crematorium in the town of Noble looked like a war zone. Human bodies strewn around carelessly in various stages of decomposition. The operator of the crematorium in Noble, Georgia is under arrest. Deirdre Lake of CNN affiliate, WSB, in Atlanta visited the scene.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEIRDRE LAKE, WSB CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Investigators set up a makeshift morgue on the property to process dozens of decomposing corpses found staffed in storage sheds and scattered in the woods behind the tri-state crematory.

ROCK THOMAS, FAMILY MEMBER: They're using a callous disregard and disrespect to families loved ones.

LAKE: Rock Thomas came here to find out if his aunt's corpse was among about a 100 different sets of remains uncovered so far.

DR. KRIS SPERRY, GBI MEDICAL EXAMINER: I will not be surprised if, when this is all over, there may even be a total of several hundred. Investigators called out to the scene made the grizzly discover after a woman walking her dog in the woods stumbled about a skull yesterday.

SHERIFF STEVE WILSON, WALKER COUNTY, GEORGIA: We located -- began locating skeletal remains of individuals throughout the wooded area. Some were in coffins. Some were in caskets. Some were just strewn about the top of the ground.

LAKE: They found dozens more bodies stacked up in sheds on the grounds. Authorities believe some of the bodies were placed there in the last week or so. The corpses in the woods had been there, possibly, three years or longer.

Officials say the Marsh family has owned the crematory for about 30 years and is cooperating with investigators.

WILSON: The only explanation that we have received at this point is that the crematorium was broken, was inoperable for a time. It would work some time. It would not work some other times. LAKE: Police say Brent Marsh wanted on five felony warrants of theft by deception turned himself into police today. It's believed the remains may date as far back as 1996 when Brent Marsh reportedly started running the crematory.

THOMAS: We never anticipated or dreamed that there was a thought that her body would not be taken and disposed of respectfully. I brought them here to Lord knows what happened.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MESERVE: And that report from Deirdre Lake of WSB-TV in Atlanta. We're hoping to get a live report a bit later in the show.

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