TIPTON COUNTY — A funeral director under investigation for allegedly failing to bury bodies within a reasonable amount of time died Thursday evening from an apparent suicide, according to the coroner.
Kevin Porter was the owner and funeral director of Porter Funeral Home in Tipton. Indiana State Police say their investigation began after an inspection earlier this month revealed that Porter had an expired funeral director's license. The inspection also found that Porter had failed to issue death certificates for 11 decendents and four bodies were found in a non-refrigerated area.
In Indiana, a funeral director is required to have a valid license in order to apply for death certificates and bodies must be buried in an established cemetery within a "reasonable time."
READ | Tipton funeral director investigated for unduried bodies
While serving a search warrant Thursday afternoon, Indiana State Police detectives also found four bodies inside the business. Those bodies were released to the Tipton County Coroner's office for proper disposition.
Thursday evening, Porter was found dead at an undisclosed location. The Tipton County Coroner says Porter's cause of death has been preliminarily ruled as a suicide, although a full report and toxicology has not been completed at this time.
The incidents remain under investigation by Indiana State Police.
