The net cast by Chris Johnson, Johnson Funeral & Cremation Services, and the associated criminal investigations continues to grow. Friday morning, a 52-year-old Douglas man was arrested in Fitzgerald on three charges – two counts of insurance fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit a felony – related to the Johnson case.
But it’s not what you think.
Prior to the investigation that officers launched on October 26, 2024, the one with which everyone is familiar, there was another ongoing criminal investigation into the operations of the funeral home. Authorities had evidence indicating that Johnson may have forged a death certificate.
This investigation had been going on long before authorities discovered 18 decomposing bodies in the funeral home while serving an eviction notice on October 26. One day later, Johnson was arrested in connection with that incident and has remained jailed ever since.
That incident did not, however, nullify the other investigation. Friday morning, officers and agents arrested James Anthony Sirmans, 52, of Fitzgerald and an employee of the Ben Hill County School System, in Fitzgerald on the aforementioned charges.
Charges were also added to Johnson’s growing list of alleged misdeeds as a result of the forgery case. A GBI press release provided more details regarding the case as well as an update on the October incident. The most recent charges stem from a 2023 investigation into an attempt by Sirmans to fraudulently obtain additional life insurance proceeds by altering the cause of death on a death certificate in 2022.
The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance John F. King has also charged Chris Johnson with theft by deception, forgery, submitting fraudulent vital records, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and two counts of insurance fraud. The GBI also charged Johnson with theft by taking and six counts of violation of vital records registration in relation to the ongoing investigation into the remains found in his funeral home and his related business practices.
With the assistance of the Ben Hill County Sheriff’s Office, Sirmans was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Coffee County Jail. He has since been released on$15,000 bond.
Johnson is still in custody in the Coffee County Jail.
The GBI has identified an additional four of the 18 remains found at Johnson Funeral Home on October 26, 2024. The GBI has notified the families of the identified remains, as well as provided them with the necessary information for them to finalize arrangements for their loved ones. Out of respect for their privacy, the GBI will not be releasing their identities at this time.
The GBI continues its work to identify the other two remains that were found and expects this to occur soon. The GBI Crime Lab is continuing to evaluate the cremains that have been turned over to determine if they are human remains. The GBI also continues its work to verify the cremation information and whether cremains were sent to the correct families, as well as other investigative leads. The Criminal Investigations Division of the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance John F. King is also continuing to assist the GBI to investigate irregularities in insurance proceeds.
Agents from the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire took the warrants against Sirmans.