The Chilling True Story Behind HBO’s The Mortician

HBO’s The Mortician, a documentary series set to debut on June 1, delves into the shocking true tale of a cremator who was incarcerated for mishandling human remains. David Sconce, who operated a cremation business in the 1980s, intentionally mixed up human remains and stole valuables from families. After pleading guilty to his crimes in 1989, Sconce spent time in and out of prison, and he even shares his story in the three-part series.

The show explores the unethical tactics employed by David Sconce to grow the cremation business at his family’s funeral home, Lamb Funeral Home in Pasadena, California. Former employees of Sconce reveal disturbing incidents they witnessed while working for him, and customers recount the trauma of receiving incorrect remains from his business. The series also features insights from current morticians on the proper handling of human remains.

Director Joshua Rofé suggests that viewers may draw parallels between the cremation scandal and other instances of companies prioritizing profits over ethical practices. He emphasizes the grisly nature of the funeral industry, noting that it is not for the faint of heart.

The Mortician sheds light on various aspects of Sconce’s illicit cremation business, including how he was eventually caught. Funeral home directors in the Pasadena area grew suspicious when Sconce conducted more cremations than his competitors at lower prices. Former employees detail how Sconce’s team would cram multiple bodies into the oven by breaking bones. Sconce’s operation in the California desert, where he cremated hundreds of bodies at once, was exposed when a nearby resident reported the smell of burning flesh to authorities.

In 1989, Sconce admitted to mishandling human remains and extracting gold fillings from corpses at Lamb Funeral Home. Following a brief prison sentence, he was reincarcerated in 2013 for violating probation. The scandal prompted the implementation of stricter regulations for cremations, including laws mandating unannounced crematory inspections.

Former employees of Sconce recall alarming practices such as selling clothes stripped from bodies and removing body parts for jewelry. Sconce’s ex-wife Barbara Hunt recounts discovering his illicit activities and witnessing him extracting gold from teeth. Sconce, who shows no remorse in the series, justifies his actions by downplaying the significance of cremated remains and claims that families were indifferent to the handling of ashes.

Director Rofé stresses the importance of confronting such disturbing stories and acknowledges the financial motivation behind Sconce’s crimes. Giving Sconce a platform to share his perspective was a deliberate choice to shed light on the darker aspects of society and human nature.