Elliott Graham: Florida funeral home director arrested for improper handling of human remains

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: A funeral home director is currently facing charges of grand theft and improper handling of human remains. 

The arrest comes after allegations that Elliott Maurice Graham, 59, abandoned three bodies in his Jacksonville funeral home.

Additionally, family members claimed that the cremains distributed by Graham resembled "chalk or ground kitty litter." 

Following his arrest on Friday in Orlando, Graham is currently held at the Orange County Jail, awaiting transfer back to Jacksonville.

What did one of the victim's family report?

Pauline Durden's family received an unexpected call from state investigators, revealing that their grandmother's body was discovered in the mortuary currently under investigation. 

Despite being laid to rest nearly six months ago, this revelation came as a shock to the family. 

According to News4JAX, Durden's granddaughters shared that investigators informed them the ashes they received did not belong to their grandmother, leading to heartbreak.

Nairobia Durden expressed the emotional toll, stating, “Just the journey of everything, it’s been tough trying to heal. And just when you think you get to a point where it’s like, he’s starting to feel a little bit better. It’s the wound that’s been reopened."

The granddaughters mentioned that detectives would conduct tests on the ashes they initially believed were their loved one's. 

Nairobia added, “They took it with them. They’re going to have it tested to find exactly what it is.

Describing the ashes as resembling "chalk or ground kitty litter." 

Another granddaughter, Johnesha Kemp shared her observations, saying, "It doesn’t look human at all." 

To rectify the situation, the state arranged to move Pauline's body to another crematorium for proper cremation.

Nairobia expressed the additional grief brought by learning about their grandmother's mistreatment, saying, “It’s been hard, just having like nightmares, just like picturing what state they may have found her body, and it’s really heartbreaking to know that someone that we love so much was treated so bad, even after death,”

The granddaughters also highlighted Graham's peculiar behavior during their interactions, describing instances where he gave them the runaround. 

Kemp noted, "It was kind of like a cat-and-mouse chase, trying to get everything done after it happened." 

Graham's recent arrest brings a sense of closure to the family. Kemp said, "It gave us a little bit of closure, knowing that we now have my grandma.

The person who did this horrendous act is now behind bars, and the process is getting moved and we can finally let it go and let her rest in peace — the way that she needed to and move forward to get over everything,”

Taslesa Ware's family reports distressing experience with Marion Graham

Taslesa Ware's family is among those who have faced distressing experiences with Marion Graham Mortuary as per News4Jax.

Ware becomes emotional when discussing her father's burial in November 2022.

Describing her father as a generous fisherman who retired from the City of Jacksonville, Ware characterized the burial as "horrific" due to the mortuary's treatment of her family and her father's remains.

According to Ware, the burial was delayed because the mortuary failed to contact the cemetery to open the grave. 

Additionally, the wake, originally planned to be open-casket, was three hours late. Eventually, they were informed that he was not viewable, leading to a closed casket. 

She expressed the toll on her mental health, causing anxiety and migraines.

Takenya Sutton and Danielle Streater share similar suspicions about their cousin, who was laid to rest in March. 

They believe improper embalming was evident due to a distinctive "decomposing smell" during the funeral ceremonies. Streater conveyed the pain of witnessing their loved one in such a state.

Ware, Sutton, and Streater also allege financial irregularities, stating that they paid for services that were never received. 

Streater emphasized, “It just was a number of things that were paid for services never received,”

Ware recounted an additional request for money from Graham, saying, “He asked me for an additional $1,000... to cover the casket portion of it. But my dad had already prepaid for everything.”