Chicago records show alderman's office raised concerns about South Chicago Chapel months before raid
56 decomposing bodies discovered at funeral home Aug. 6, officials say
CHICAGO (WLS) -- City records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show that the office of 10th Ward Alderman Peter Chico raised concerns about odors at South Chicago Chapel nearly a year before authorities raided the funeral home and found more than 50 decomposing bodies inside.
Records reviewed by ABC7 show that between January 2021 and the Aug. 6 raid, multiple complaints, calls and service requests related to South Chicago Chapel were submitted to city agencies.
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Among them were two requests submitted by Peter Chico's office within the same week in September 2025. One complaint, filed with the city's Department of Environment, reported an odor concern at the funeral home. A separate inquiry to the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection sought information about the facility's business license after residents raised concerns about the business and its ownership.
According to the records, Chico's office wrote: "Looking for some assistance. Is there a business license for (crematorium/funeral home) South Chicago Chapel, 2939 East 95th Street, Chicago, Il 60617? We have received odor complaints SR25-01709020 from residents and we were provided with some concerning information regarding the business owner." The message added: "Residents are concerned and have brought this to our attention."
An investigation report from the city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection details conditions discovered during the Aug. 6 inspection of South Chicago Chapel. Investigators reported finding numerous human remains throughout the first floor of the building, including dozens of covered bodies on tables, one deceased person in a public washroom, several in a preparation room, and multiple others in an attached garage area. The report also noted that one uncovered deceased individual, identified as male, appeared to be missing a limb.
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Investigators documented remains in unrefrigerated areas and reported conditions consistent with decomposition throughout the premises. The report states that officials ultimately located approximately 52 individuals at the facility.
The investigation also examined a complaint involving 95th Street Storage LLC, a storage facility across the street from the funeral home. According to the report, investigators inspected a storage unit associated with South Chicago Chapel and found approximately six to eight empty caskets inside. No human remains were discovered. Investigators wrote that the caskets were likely being used as rentals for memorial services.
The report concluded that no human remains or unauthorized activity were found in the inspected storage unit and that the storage facility was in compliance at the time of the inspection.
ABC7 reached out to Chico's office for comment on the newly obtained records but had not received a response. While city records show the office's service requests were marked as completed, the records do not indicate the results of any inspections or what actions, if any, followed.
