Felony complaint filed against former funeral home owner
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BANNOCK COUNTY — The Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office filed a felony criminal complaint against Lance Peck, former owner of the Downard Funeral Home & Crematory, according to a news release.
The 47-year-old Pocatello man was charged with 63 misdemeanors primarily relating to the Mortician’s Code of Conduct. He was arrested in Aug. 2022 after an investigation was launched in 2021 due to a foul smell coming from the business.
During the search, officials found 12 unidentified and decomposing bodies and 61 fetuses.
The felony complaint comes more than a week after Peck’s trial, which was supposed to begin on Oct. 16, was vacated due to multiple lawsuits against Peck and his mortuary.
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“We anticipate the felony complaint to be merged with the misdemeanor complaints filed last year, which would bring the entire case under the jurisdiction of a district judge,” Prosecutor Stephen Herzog says in a news release.
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The felony complaint includes multiple felony charges related to tax law violations, forgery and grand theft.
In August, the defense and prosecution entered into mediation. “Significant progress” was made toward reaching a resolution of the case, Herzog said. However, a final resolution hasn’t been agreed upon.
“The parties intend to return to mediation in the near future with the hope of reaching a final resolution,” officials said in the release.
The date of the next mediation was not specified. These meetings are confidential.
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“I want to thank the public, especially the families who have been impacted by the defendant’s actions, for your continued patience,” Herzog said. “We encourage people to continue communicating with our office. Your comments are valuable, and we will try to respond in a timely manner.”
The Prosecutor’s Office is inviting family members who have been affected to provide input about what they feel is a fair resolution. Send an email to downardprosecution@bannockcounty.gov.
The case hasn’t been assigned to a judge yet. The outcome of mediation will determine what happens next in the case.
Although Peck has been charged with a crime, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.