Amber Laudermilk, a mortuary employee from Texas, is under fire for allegedly tampering with a corpse
Warning: The following contains graphic content that may be upsetting to some readers.
A funeral home worker is now facing legal action after being accused of desecrating the remains of a convicted sex offender.
Amber Laudermilk, who was employed as an embalmer at Memorial Mortuary & Crematory in Houston, Texas, allegedly mutilated the deceased man’s body by removing his genitals.
Authorities identified the corpse as that of Charles Roy Rodriguez. Investigators claim it was his body that Laudermilk tampered with after death.
Rodriguez, a lifelong registered sex offender, died of natural causes in a Houston hospital this past January at the age of 58, according to The Mirror.
His conviction stems from a 2001 case, where he was sentenced for the sexual assault of a 31-year-old woman.
Laudermilk has been accused of the felonyFOX 26 Houston
As stated in court documents, Rodriguez’s remains were brought to the funeral home on February 7.
After discovering Rodriguez’s criminal past, Laudermilk allegedly took a scalpel and committed an act of desecration on the deceased.
Eyewitnesses claim the 34-year-old plunged the blade into the groin region twice before cutting off his genitals and placing them in the mouth of the corpse.
Constable Alan Rosen of Precinct One remarked: “Regardless of one’s past, the law mandates that every individual be given dignity in death.”
“This case involves two deeply troubled individuals: the deceased, a registered sex offender, and the accused, who’s now facing allegations of violently defiling his body,” Rosen continued.
Laudermilk has been officially charged with corpse abuse, a felony offense. She was released on a $5,000 bond and is expected back in court on May 13.
Precinct One Constable Alan RosenFOX 26 Houston
“I’m not familiar with the suspect’s background, but we deeply sympathize with anyone who has experienced sexual assault or knows someone who has,” Rosen said. “The evidence suggests she acted out of anger, and I sincerely hope once the legal process plays out, she receives the support she needs.”
As reported by NBC News, court records state that two mortuary staff members claim to have directly witnessed the disturbing event.
Laudermilk allegedly turned to one of them—a student embalmer—and said, “You didn’t see anything,” in a tone the witness described as threatening.
The second observer stated that Rodriguez’s groin looked “mutilated,” and said Laudermilk appeared to try covering the area with a towel.
When asked about what had happened, Laudermilk reportedly gave a vague reply, saying the deceased “had a lot going on,” according to official documents.
A complaint was submitted to the local police on February 19. Shortly afterward, the Texas Funeral Service Commission suspended Laudermilk’s embalmer license.
Officials from Harris County Precinct One confirmed that Laudermilk later turned herself in and is currently being held in Harris County Jail.
