Harlan Funeral Director Charged with Theft
Lexington Herald-Leader ~ 9/16/1989
HARLAN - Police arrested a Harlan County funeral home director on theft charges, including allegations that he took money for conducting funerals for two Harlan County women who are still alive.
Harold D. Cornett, 44, of Lynch was accompanied by his attorney as he surrendered Thursday afternoon to Kentucky State Police.
Cornett, owner of Parker Memorial Funeral Chapel in Cumberland, was arrested on two counts of theft by deception over $100 and four counts of theft by unlawful taking over $100.
He was later released on his own recognizance.
One of the two theft-by-deception charges stemmed from an indictment issued by the Harlan County grand jury, state police said. The other charges stemmed from state police investigations.
Cornett is accused of filing a certificate of performance in the supposed deaths of the two elderly women, according to a news release issued by the state police.
The claims were alleged to have been filed with the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky, a prepaid funeral trust fund established through the Kentucky Funeral Directors Burial Association Inc., of Frankfort, the release said.
Cornett also was alleged to have written checks on the accounts of the two women and possibly others, the news release said.
Cornett's attorney, Otis Doan, declined to comment on the matter Thursday. He did not return phone calls yesterday.
State police said Thursday night they also were investigating allegations of misuse of other trust funds in which Cornett was appointed the executor of the estates.
Harlan Commonwealth's Attorney Ron Johnson is giving legal assistance and his full cooperation to the investigation, police said. A subpoena would be sought for records of the Funeral Funding Trust of Kentucky, police said.
"This will be in order for us to check to see if any other Harlan Countians have been victimized in this way," state police detective Alice Chaney said.
All that was required to withdraw money from a trust fund is a notarized certificate of performance, which Cornett provided the company, she said.
"They don't require a death certificate or any other type of documentation that I am aware of," she said.
"Cornett was able to send in these certificates of performance on two ladies that were still alive," she said. "In my opinion, it would have been a good practice of the trust fund organization to require a death certificate in order to prevent such an activity from occurring."
