Houston Police Seek Families of 79 Cremains Found After Hurricane Damage
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A heartbreaking search is underway in Houston as the Houston Police Department (HPD) works to locate the families of 79 sets of unclaimed cremains discovered at a funeral home significantly damaged by Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. The discovery underscores the lasting impact of natural disasters and the challenges of maintaining records in the face of extreme weather events.
Remains Discovered at Richardson Mortuary
In April 2025, HPD’s Major Offenders Division found the cremains inside Richardson Mortuary, located at 3201 Brookfield Drive in southwest Houston. According to police reports, the remains were stored in substandard conditions with limited documentation following the storm damage. Officers immediately took possession of the cremains, bringing them to HPD headquarters in an effort to identify and contact next of kin.
Over the past six months, investigators have successfully reunited 22 sets of remains with their families. However, dozens remain unclaimed, prompting the public appeal for assistance.
List of Unclaimed Cremains Released
HPD has released a list of the remaining unclaimed cremains, along with the crematories that originally handled them. The list includes:
- Muriel Fuller – Cremate Texas
- Natalir Johnson – Cremate Texas
- Jerry Oliver – Cremate Texas
- Oscar Ford – Cremate Texas
- Norma Kelly – Cremate Texas
- Leo Roberts – Cremate Texas
- Charles – Mainland Crematory
- Leroy Monroe – Mainland Crematory
- Craig Koontz – MMC
- Johnny Yarbrough – Mainland Crematory
- Lonnell Riggins – Cremate Texas
- John Eaton – MMC
- Allen Daniels – Mainland Crematory
- Leon Caldwell – MMC
- Raymond Foster – Cremate Texas
- Yolanda Stewart – Cremate Texas
- Eric Brown – MMC
- Francis Jones – Cremate Texas
- Andrea Myers – MMC
- Regina Nichols – Memorial Crematory
- Joann Mitchell – MMC
- Jerry Miller – MMC
- Dianna Mattox – Cremate Texas
- Jackie Ross – MMC
- Todd Harris – MMC
- Johnny Hetor – MMC
- Barbara Williams – MMC
- Justine Barr – Cremate Texas
- Fred Burrell – Cremate Texas
- Robert Mosley – Cremate Texas
- Cordel McCarter – Cremate Texas
- Harold LaPoint – Mainland Crematory
- Brenda Harden – MMC
- William Taylor – MMC
- Willie Mcneil – Mainland Crematory
- Jeffrey Crawford – MMC
- Josephine Zeno – MMC
- Edward Dowell – MMC
- Maurice Northern – MMC
- Janice Flex – No Label
- Robert Childs – Cremate Texas
- Henry Hill – MMC
- Knowledge Holmes – MMC
- Thomas Griffin – Cremate Texas
- R. Woodrow – Cremate Texas
- Milbert Pogue – Cremate Texas
- Mitchell Luckett – Cremate Texas
- Timothy Griffin – Cremate Texas
- Martha Johnson – Mainland Crematory
- Bruce McMillon – MMC
- Charlesetta Allen – MMC
- Reginald Jones – MMC
- Marshel Wilson – MMC
- Kenneth Prince – MMC
- Lucien Thornton – MMC
- Ramona Taylor – Cremate Texas
How to Claim Remains
Anyone with information or who believes they are next of kin is urged to contact HPD’s Major Offenders Division at 713-308-3100 within the next 30 days. After December 12, 2025, any unclaimed cremains will be respectfully and ethically interred by Harris County Bereavement Services. Contact information for Harris County Bereavement Services is 713-696-1952.
Mortuary Statement
Attorney Rick Detoto, representing Richardson Mortuary, stated, “It’s not unusual for a mortuary to have cremains that are fully paid for and not picked up by family. The list posted by HPD is an example. They were all properly stored and the mortuary made several attempts to contact their loved ones for pick up. This list goes back, in some cases, many years. They were, at all times, available for pick up by family members. The business has been at the same location for decades with the same phone number.”
This situation highlights the often-overlooked challenges faced by funeral homes and the importance of proactive communication with families regarding final arrangements. The HPD’s efforts to locate loved ones represent a compassionate response to a difficult situation, offering a final measure of dignity and closure.
