Illinois
Chicago Heights, Illinois crematory shut down after bodies are found in trailers
A south suburban Chicago crematory has shut down as Illinois state investigators obtain how the remains of deceased people are being handled there.
Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights is accused of mishandling the bodies of people who recently died. The crematory agreed to shut down its operations during the probe by the Illinois Comptroller’s office, which regulates the cremation industry.
Heights has agreed to not accept any more bodies during the investigation, which started in mid-February.
Meanwhile, CBS News Chicago obtained photos from inside a trailer where bodies were being stored. The trailer is located on the property belonging to Heights, and the photos show deceased people partially wrapped in sheets or clear plastic bags, with their faces and body parts sticking out.
CBS News Chicago also found bodies in bags moved from another trailer on the site, and there are questions about storage areas without proper refrigeration at the business.
Families typically send those they lost to a funeral home and the funeral home then sends the remains to a crematory. Families would be unaware of the crematory’s conditions.
Heights Crematory operator Clark Morgan refused the opportunity to look at the photos or comment when contacted by the CBS News Chicago Investigators.
The state Comptroller’s office is looking into Heights’ handling of the remains of people who recently died. The disturbing pictures obtained by CBS show the conditions of how some bodies were kept. Out of respect for the deceased and their families, CBS blurred some of these images.
Families typically send those they lost to a funeral home and the funeral home then sends the remains to a crematory. Families would be unaware of the crematory’s conditions.
The Comptroller’s office, in a statement to CBS News Chicago, said its investigators have been onsite at Heights Crematory inspecting and monitoring the facility.
The Comptroller’s office also said: “The owners have agreed to take on no new cases/clients pending the outcome of this investigation. The investigation could lead to penalties up to $5,000 for each violation and possible revocation of its crematory license.”
According to the state, during the voluntary shutdown, Heights is being allowed to cremate the remaining bodies it has in its inventory — but only with daily oversight of state regulators.
The company has had past financial problems too. A background check shows millions of dollars in multiple federal and state tax liens, which includes a $1.8 million lean by the Internal Revenue Service from 2023.
Meanwhile, this CBS News Chicago investigation uncovered that another crematory, Crown Cremations in Indiana, has been sending remains across state lines to the Heights Crematory. Crown Cremations is now too are being questioned by Illinois regulators who are investigating the business relationship between the two companies and Crown Cremations’ use of a trailer on Heights property to store bodies of deceased people from Indiana without an Illinois license.
Crown Cremations is run by Richard Sallie of Crown Point, Indiana. A lawyer representing Sallie, Jim Clement, said after learning of the CBS News Chicago investigation, “Crown Cremations is disappointed to hear these things and has severed their relationship with Heights Crematory,” and is “cooperating with investigators.”
An 18-year-old man is hospitalized after he was found shot in Joliet, Illinois, on Saturday evening.
Joliet police said around 6:46 p.m., officers responded to the area of East Benton Street and Polson Place for a report of a man shot.
Upon arrival, officers found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds to his back and left arm. Police said officers immediately rendered medical aid until Joliet Fire Department paramedics arrived.
The victim was taken to Silver Cross Hospital with life-threatening injuries before later being transferred to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood for further treatment.
Spent shell casings were found after detectives canvassed the area.
Police said there is no description of a suspect and the shooting remains under active investigation.
Anyone with video footage or information related to this shooting is asked to contact the Joliet Police Department Investigations Division at 815-724-3020. Anonymous tipsters can contact Will County Crime Stoppers at 800-323-6734 or submit a tip online at crimestoppersofwillcounty.org.
YORKTOWN, Va (WAVY) — A 31-year-old Illinois man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to exploiting a York County child online.
According to the York County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, Andres Arreola pleaded guilty to enticing a minor to perform child sexual abuse acts and using a communication system to facilitate certain offenses involving a child.
The case began in April 2025 after the parent of a 9-year-old child called the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office about inappropriate messages they found from Arreola to the child on an online chat platform.
Investigators determined Arreola sent sexually explicit messages and images to the child and persuaded the child to send explicit images in return, knowing the victim was a 9-year-old.
Detectives were able to identify Arreola in Illinois, where he was taken into custody. He was then extradited him to York County where he remained behind bars without bond. Detectives also recovered electronic evidence supporting the charges.
A judge ultimately sentenced Arreola to 40 years in prison, suspending 31 years and six months, leaving him with an active prison sentence of eight years and six months.
After his release, Arreola will serve 20 years of supervised probation. He cannot have unsupervised contact with minors and will be required to register with Virginia’s Sex Offender and Crimes against Minors Registry.
“The exploitation of children—whether in person or online—will not be tolerated in York County,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Krystyn Reid in a statement.
Reid goes on to praise the investigators, prosecutors and the “the young victim and the victim’s family throughout this case. Anyone who seeks to harm a child, regardless of where they are located, should expect to be identified, brought before the court, prosecuted, and held accountable.”
A woman was taken into custody, accused of breaking into a home in Aurora, Illinois, on Saturday morning.
Aurora Police said around 9:14 a.m., officers responded to the 100 block of South Edgelawn Drive for a report of a residential burglary after a neighbor reported what they described as a suspicious person on the property.
Arriving officers found evidence of forced entry at the home and encountered a woman inside the residence who refused to come out.
Police said officers secured the area and members of the department’s negotiating team and Special Response Team responded to the scene. After more than an hour of negotiations, officers took the woman into custody without further incident and she was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.
No other individuals were inside the residence, and there were no injuries to officers or anyone in the area.
Investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
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