Ohio House passes Amanda Dean’s Law

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Ohio House announced it passed Amanda Dean’s Law, legislation that increases penalties for abuse of a corpse.

Amanda Dean, a 36-year-old mother of four, who was murdered by her boyfriend Fred Reer in 2017. Investigators with BCI determined that Dean was killed inside a residence where the couple lived, and that he later cleaned the crime scene and disposed of evidence. Dean’s body has never been found.

The Bill was sponsored by State Rep. Gayle Manning (R-Avon) and Kellie Deeter (R-Norwalk)

“Abuse of a human corpse is a profound violation of dignity and deeply traumatizing for families, and Amanda Dean’s Law ensures that Ohio law treats these offenses with the seriousness they deserve and holds offenders fully accountable,” said Manning.

“House Bill 654 strengthens Ohio law by establishing enhanced penalties for offenders who dismember, mutilate, or intentionally disfigure a human corpse, particularly when those acts are committed to conceal a crime, obstruct justice, or impair a criminal investigation,” said Deeter. “This bill is about dignity, accountability, and justice. Amanda Dean’s Law sends a clear message that Ohio will not tolerate conduct that dishonors the deceased or compounds the suffering of surviving family members.”

Key provisions of Amanda Dean’s Law include:

Reclassifying abuse of a corpse that outrages reasonable family sensibilities as a felony of the fifth degree;

Increasing penalties for gross abuse of a corpse to a felony of the fourth degree;

Elevating the offense to a felony of the third degree when the conduct involves dismemberment, mutilation, or intentional disfigurement;

Establishing a felony of the second degree when such acts are committed to conceal a crime, obstruct justice, or impair a criminal investigation or prosecution.

The bill now advances to the Ohio Senate.