Storage owner reunites cremated remains with family

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A mystery that began with in a U-Haul storage unit has been solved.

It is a modern storage warehouse in north Harris County -- temporary housing for the overflow from homes. But when a renter emptied her storage unit two months ago, she left something -- or someone -- behind. "She was like in the middle with trash and debris around," storage manager Jesus Muniz said. Muniz retrieved kept it in a plastic bag, feeling it's personal to someone. "Decided to keep her, bring her in, and started trying to locate her family members or relatives," he said. Since the day he found the cremated remains, Muniz tried to track down the woman who left Gloria Jean Jones behind, but her numbers were disconnected. He even went to the apartment where the last renter had lived but nothing. He had a name, birth and death date and a birth certificate of a relative of Gloria Jones also were left in the unit. But we ran a Public Data check and made a phone call to a Mrs. Lizzie Jones. "Would they give 'em to her mama?"Jones asked us during a phone conversation. "Yes, they'd give them to her mama," we replied. It was the break for which Muniz had hoped. So he brought what he had been keeping to his car, and a long drive later in southeast Houston, an 80-year-old mother was reunited with her daughter. The pictures matched. Jones says she had always asked her granddaughter about Gloria Jeans' ashes but never knew where they'd been taken. Now she does. "My Jean, oh Lord, thank you Jesus. Thank you mister," Jones said. Gloria Jean Jones is now home, thanks to a stranger who solved a mystery and brought peace to a mother. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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local, deborah wrigley

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Cremated remains found at former funeral home

STAFFORD, TX (KTRK) -- After finding the abandoned remains of 11 adults and four children, authorities are searching for their families. This is all part of an investigation into the Rylan C Scott Funeral Home off of FM 2234 In Stafford.

We tracked down a family member of one of the deceased and he told us his aunt died years ago. Her body was cremated but then apparently her remains just sat at a funeral home for Stafford police to find abandoned. It was a tip from the Texas Funeral Service Commission that led Stafford police in March to the chapel of what was once the Rylan C. Scott Funeral Home. Inside, next to the abandoned pews were two boxes with the remains of 15 people. "This is a very unusual case," Stafford Police Department's Raphael Virata said. Virata says they retrieved the boxes, stored them in their evidence room and went to work. The ashes were well labeled so they were able to connect eight sets with family but seven remain unclaimed. That's how police hope the public can help. "We just want to make sure that these remains are given back to the family," Virata said. Detectives are requesting assistance in locating family members of the following deceased persons: Rosie Lee Johnson
Bobby J. Jones
Raynor Wyatt (child)
Ayana Etuknwa (child)
Roger Dale Norris
Rabon Smith Sr.
Juanita H. Williams
"That's my auntie, my mama's sister," Richard Vanderbull said. We found Johnson's sister and nephew at their home in north Houston. Vanderbull says his aunt passed away 10 years ago. His family likely chose the funeral home because Rylan Scott once lived next door with his mother and stepfather. But no one answered at the Scott house Monday night. Vanderbull was surprised to be re-visiting his aunt's death all these years later. "Disrespectful, yes, it's very disrespectful, but I wouldn't think Rylan would do nothing like that," he said. According to the Texas Funeral Service Commission, the funeral home had a half-dozen violations before its license was eventually canceled last September, and Scott, we're told by police, then vacated the strip center. Scott has been indicted on two felony charges -- theft and tampering with a government document -- for allegedly selling a cemetery plot that he didn't own. Stafford police say he doesn't face charges related to these ashes being left behind. Meanwhile, the current owners of the building say they're just about to open a new funeral home there, but had no knowledge of what happened under the previous ownership. Family members or anyone with information is requested to contact the Stafford Police Department at 281-208-6991. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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stafford, local, jessica willey

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