Howard funeral home owner facing abuse of corpse charge, new details emerge from police report
A Howard funeral home owner is facing a misdemeanor charge alleging he abused a woman’s corpse, adding onto a lawsuit that claimed he allowed her corpse to decompose for nearly six instead of cremating her.
The affidavit of probable cause filed against Singer-Kader-Neff Funeral Home owner Garrett A. Singer, 33, offered new details Thursday about the allegations he faces. No defense lawyer was listed.
In addition to the criminal and civil charges, state police at Rockview said the Pennsylvania Department of State — which oversees the board that issues funeral home licenses — had been investigating Singer as well.
Troopers began investigating in mid-December after the owner of a human remains transportation service said he made “concerning” observations at the funeral home. The man told police the funeral home’s preparation room was in poor condition and “smelled bad.”
He also saw a corpse on the table that appeared to be sitting out for an extended period of time, police wrote. Troopers and a Department of State investigator visited the funeral home Dec. 18, six days later.
While there, police said the Department of State investigator discovered issues with the funeral home’s practices. Chief among them was Joan Donley’s decomposing corpse on a table and not refrigerated, police wrote.
She died and had been in Singer’s care since Nov. 11.
Singer said during an interview that he should have notified the state Board of Funeral Directors after holding Donley’s body for more than 10 days — as required by state regulations, police wrote.
He also said he was unsure if her corpse was ever put in a cooler, police wrote. The Department of State found Singer did not have a refrigerator at his funeral home and the cremation service he used “cut him off because he owed them money,” police wrote.
Donley’s daughter told Singer she wanted her mother’s corpse cremated the day after she died. After about two weeks passed, troopers said Sherry Cramer contacted Singer because she had not received her mother’s ashes or death certificate.
On one occasion, Cramer said the Singer told her he had her remains. On another, Cramer said the Singer told her the Centre County Coroner’s Office had the remains.
A summons was issued Thursday. He had not been arraigned as of Thursday afternoon. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 7.
Cramer sued Singer and his funeral home for unspecified monetary damages. The suit said the funeral home’s alleged conduct was “extreme and outrageous and went beyond all possible bounds of decency.”
“Families trust funeral homes to treat their loved ones with dignity and respect,” Cramer’s attorney Joe Sauder told the Centre Daily Times last week in a written statement. “The allegations in this case are deeply troubling, and our client is seeking accountability for the extreme distress and suffering caused by the defendants’ actions.”
Attorney Jim Kutz, who represents Singer against the lawsuit, told the CDT some of Cramer’s allegations are “not factually accurate.” He acknowledged there were delays, but said they were brought about by legal impediments and inactions.
None of the delays, Kutz said, were brought about “intentionally or willfully.” He had not filed a formal response as of Thursday afternoon.
Cramer’s lawsuit alleged investigators discovered additional corpses in the funeral home that may have also been improperly handled. The lawsuit did not specify the condition or number of other corpses. Singer was charged only in connection with Donley’s corpse.
Donley, 92, of Pennsylvania Furnace, was a former secretary at Penn State and enjoyed crocheting, loved animals and weekly dinners with her family, according to her obituary.
“She had a heart of gold and was always willing to help those in need,” her obituary read.
Singer is a native of Pleasant Gap and graduated from Bellefonte Area High School in 2009, according to the funeral home’s website. He also pursued degrees at Penn State and the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He took ownership of the long-time Howard funeral home, 135 W. Main St., in July 2023.
No disciplinary actions were found Thursday for Singer’s funeral license.
