Mortician’s Bail Is Set at $500,000

Bail for a Pasadena funeral home operator charged with 37 felony and misdemeanor counts, including removing body parts, mutilating corpses and commingling human remains, was set at $500,000 Monday because of possible “retaliation” against potential witnesses, the prosecutor said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Walt Lewis said David Wayne Sconce, who operated the Lamb Funeral Home with his parents, Laurieanne Lamb Sconce and Jerry Wayne Sconce, has a history of threatening violence and hired three men in 1984 to beat two funeral directors.

“The defendant has hurt people for retaliation,” Lewis told the court. “I don’t believe witnesses would be safe.”

Sconce’s attorney, Roger Diamond, called the $500,000 bail “outrageous,” saying that the allegations against Sconce were “old,” “stale” and “untrue.”

‘I Want This Resolved’

David Sconce added: “I’m not going anywhere. I want this resolved more than anybody.”

But Pasadena Municipal Judge Elvira R. Mitchell agreed to Lewis’ bail request, saying: “I would have asked for more. This causes me more concern than you can imagine.”

The investigation into the Sconces’ mortuary operation began in January, when San Bernardino County authorities searched Oscar Ceramics in Hesperia after neighbors in the high desert area complained about foul odors emanating from the plant. Inside, authorities found several hundred pounds of unidentified human remains and two cremation chambers.

Authorities believe that David Sconce began burning bodies at the Hesperia facility after the Pasadena Crematorium in Altadena, operated by the Sconces, was destroyed by fire on Nov. 23.

During the course of their investigation, authorities discovered another company operated by the Sconces, Coastal International Eye and Tissue Bank of Santa Fe Springs, which sold body parts for medical and research purposes. The company has since ceased operations.

The Sconces appeared in court Monday and pleaded innocent to a total of 45 felony and misdemeanor counts that were filed Friday in connection with their three operations. Twenty-four felony counts against the three involve the unlawful removal of body parts from corpses without the knowledge of relatives, according to court documents.

Police reports filed with the charges state that body parts such as brains, hearts and lungs were removed and sold to a North Carolina biological supply company before the bodies were cremated.

Lewis said at least $20,000 was paid for the body parts, which were used for research and medical purposes.

Fillings From Bodies Alleged

In addition, statements from unidentified informants and former employees allege that gold fillings were taken from bodies awaiting cremation.

Jerry Sconce and Laurieanne Lamb Sconce, who were freed on $5,000 bail each, are also charged with taking more than $90,000 in interest from prepaid funeral trust accounts for their own purposes, according to court documents.

Diamond denied any wrongdoing by his clients, who he said were the victims of allegations by disgruntled employees and a media witch hunt. He said no bodies had been cremated or parts removed unless the necessary consent forms had been signed.

“There is no basis for any of these charges,” he said. “They didn’t do it.”

Diamond added that charges of misappropriating prepaid funeral funds, which are held in bank trust accounts, were ridiculous.

“No one has lost a dime,” he said, adding that Jerry and Laurieanne Lamb Sconce were given written permission by the people who set up the accounts to use the interest. He said that no money is now missing from any of the accounts.

In addition to the Pasadena charges, David Sconce also faces misdemeanor charges in San Bernardino County of operating an illegal crematorium, commingling body parts and cremating several bodies at the same time.