A funeral director may lose his licence after chopping up an obese body to make it fit inside his crematory oven.

William Ellenberg is accused of dismembering the body of an 800lb woman because he couldn't get it to enter through the metal opening to the cremation chamber.

He admits hacking 'fatty tissue off the side of the legs so it would fit inside that crematory', but denies any wrong doing.

William Ellenberg faces losing his licence altogether

'It wasn't disrespectful,' he told Cbs Atlanta. 'I did what I had to do to get the body cremated for the family.'

Ellenberg, owner of Metro Embalming and Crematory, has been suspended and said he is shutting down his business, but has been found innocent of any crime.


'It is actually not an uncommon practice that the body is sometimes too large to fit into the furnace,' said Conyers Police Lt. Jack Dunn, who carried out the investigation.


Ellenberg said he will close down his business in the wake of the scandal




Ellenberg admits hacking lumps off an 800lb woman so that she would fit inside the crematory

Nonetheless, he failed to follow the regulations that require the funeral director get consent from the family before the body is dismembered.

Ellenberg is being criticised by fellow funeral directors who have condemned him as being disrespectful.

We would request it to family to bury the remains of their loved ones,' said Ray Wilson, owner of nearby Newark Premier Crematory, adding that he would never chop up a body.

Ellenberg's dodgy ways came to light last month, he claims after a former love interest and business partner turned him in.

'It's a scorned woman that's done this to me. Lies can hurt a person' he said.



Ray Wilson, owner of Newark Premier Crematory in Conyers, condemned Ellenberg's actions, adding that he would never chop up a body

According to his suspension order, Ellenberg has a dark history behind him.

He allegedly once threatened to kill an associate, and made an attempt on his own life too.

The allegations against Ellenberg have been echoed by former employee P J Alexander.

I've seen him mistreat bodies, I've seen him mistreat families,' Alexander said. 'I think that's completely nad utterly disgusting.'

Ellenberg's funeral director and embalmer licenses were suspended on Sept 20. He can appeal the decision.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2214920/Funeral-director-suspended-dismembering-800lb-body-wouldn-t-fit-crematory.html#ixzz28nlvxc6e
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