LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A federal investigation into who dumped more than 300 piles of human remains in the desert outside Las Vegas continues as funeral homes scrambled Wednesday to recover them.
8 News Now Investigators first reported that more than 100 piles of cremated remains were discovered in August. The person who found the ashes later contacted 8 News Now and said that on July 28. Stumbled upon piles in the desert behind Searchlight. Searchlight is a rural community located about an hour south of the Las Vegas Valley on US 95.
in August A Bureau of Land Management official confirmed that the poles were human remains and that the department is actively investigating. “Cremains,” a word given by the official, refers to cremated human remains.
On Wednesday, Palm Mortuary and Cemetery representatives removed approximately 315 piles from the desert. 8 News Now Investigators’ initial report found a second location with more poles near the landfill.
What are commonly called “ashes” are the crushed bones that remain after a person is cremated.
“I think most of us were just like, ‘What a shame,'” said Celena DiLullo, president of Palm Mortuary and Cemeteries.
Each pile represents a person who lived in a Southern Nevada community. Multiple sources confirm to 8 News Now Investigators that the piles are the work of a commercial funeral home business.
Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries removed approximately 315 piles from the desert. (CLASS)
DiLullo and other Palm workers moved each pile into a bag and into a separate urn during the recovery process Wednesday.
There is no law in Nevada that prohibits a person from scattering ashes on public land. State law requires funeral operators to preserve the “dignity” of any remains in their care. BLM policy allows a person to scatter cremated remains; however, the policy restricts “commercial distribution of cremated remains.” A mass dump site like this one is likely in violation of federal law.
“I don’t know if it was these people’s desire to leave, so that’s what’s going on in my mind,” DiLullo said. “If they don’t want to be remembered that way, we’d just like to have a place for them.”
Federal officials are investigating more than 300 piles of cremated human remains left near a dirt road about an hour outside of Las Vegas. (CLASS)
Palm will place all 315 remains in a crypt at one of its cemeteries so relatives can find them, DiLullo said. As of Wednesday, each pile was free of any identifiable information. In August, some of the piles contained pieces of zippers used by crematoria to close ash bags. Pieces of a broken urn also littered part of the site.
“I think it’s important for us to make sure these people are not forgotten and left behind,” DiLullo said. “It’s important for our community and our profession to show how much we care about these people.
Multiple sources told 8 News Now Investigators the remains came from a recently closed funeral home. A spokesman for the out-of-state company has repeatedly denied any involvement.
Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries removed approximately 315 piles from the desert. (CLASS)
The remains are not affiliated with McDermott’s Funeral Home, which was closed by the Nevada Board of Funeral and Cemetery Services in August.
Tips can be submitted to BLM at blm_law_enforcement@blm.gov.
8 News Now reporter David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com.
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