Brade
A North Austin mortuary employee is facing serious felony charges following allegations of experimenting on corpses and fraudulently obtaining death certificates. ADELINE NGAN-BINH BUI, 50, has been charged with one count of state-jail felony abuse of a corpse and five counts of second-degree felony tampering with governmental records with intent to defraud or harm. Court documents obtained by FOX 7 reveal that these incidents date back to at least August 2022.
The case came to light after a former embalmer at Capital Mortuary Services alleged to TFSC that BUI had fraudulently initiated and obtained at least ten death certificates under his name and license number without his consent. The former embalmer also claimed that BUI was conducting experiments on separated anatomical structures, including injecting formaldehyde into the arms of an unknown deceased individual and observing the effects over time on the severed limbs.
In a shocking development, a cease-and-desist letter was issued to the mortuary on April 10, citing failures to meet building, health, and safety codes. The letter mandated an immediate halt to all operations. The Austin Police Department (APD) reportedly received eight death certificates allegedly signed by the former embalmer via an electronic signature, according to court paperwork.
The former embalmer clarified that he was not employed as a funeral director at Capital Mortuary Services but rather as a crematory operator, driver, and embalmer. He denied ever accessing the Texas Electronic Vital Events Registrar (TxEVER) to obtain the eight death certificates in question.
Further allegations suggest that BUI communicated with a former employee in December 2023 regarding a fraudulent certificate, including screenshots. In one message, BUI allegedly wrote, “Let’s us[e] this update to monitor our experiment,” accompanied by photos of severed and detached arms in various stages of decomposition. TSFC investigators informed APD that BUI allowed these severed body parts to be placed in the crematory retort, where they were cremated in their dissected state.
BUI‘s legal team issued a statement to FOX 7, emphasizing the presumption of innocence and the complexity of the case. “Our criminal justice system is based on the presumption of innocence and a careful, critical evaluation of the evidence, facts, and their sources,” the statement read. “This case involves complexities that are not immediately apparent and should not be sensationalized. Our legal team remains fully committed to defending and advocating for our client, ADELINE BUI, with the expectation of fairness and due process.”
Capital Mortuary Services is now closed.
[Sources: FOX 7, TFSC]
