Brent Marsh freed from prison Former crematory operator completes 12-year sentence, returns
Brent Marsh, convicted in November 2004 of improperly disposing of more than 300 bodies at the Tri-State Crematory in Walker County, is now a free man after serving his full prison sentence.
Marsh was charged with 787 counts that included theft by deception, abuse of a corpse, burial service-related fraud and giving false statements.
The state of Georgia dismissed cases against his mother, Clara, and sister, LaShea Marsh, as the two women were charged with only improperly signing death certificates.
On Wednesday morning, June 29, Ray Brent Marsh, 43, walked out of Central State Prison in Macon after spending 12 years behind bars.
His attorney, McCracken Poston of Ringgold, who was there to meet Marsh as he walked out of prison a free man.
“He’s coming home to Walker County,” Poston said.
The story, often described as “a horror scene,” reached international news and received a tremendous amount of coverage. Marsh, operator of the Tri-State Crematory in the Noble community in central Walker County, did not cremate 334 bodies over a six-year period between 1996 and 2002.
The bodies were found buried — some partially — in woods behind the Marsh residence in February 2002. Only 226 of those bodies were identified.
Poston said Marsh served every day of his sentence, never once complaining, and spent that time bettering himself.
Marsh even received a couple of degrees in theology while in prison.
“He has paid his debt and will continue to pay with a series of fines and probation time,” Poston said.
Forgiveness as Christians
Poston asks that the Christian community, the dominant religion in the area, forgive Marsh, as he has served his time.
“I am asking for them to practice their Christian theology and forgive him and welcome him back into the community,” Poston said. “It’s a very happy day.”
Poston said he had never had a non-violent offender serve a full sentence.
“Please give him his space and give him a chance,” Poston said.
Chattanooga lawyer Stuart James, attorney for the Marsh family, released this statement after Marshes release:
“McCracken Poston and I are happy to see Brent Marsh released. He served his entire sentence, as he was required to do as a non-violent offender.
“I hope, as does McCracken, that the community can do the Christian thing….forgive, remembering to err is human and to forgive is Divine.
“Brent Marsh has been an exceptional client, following our legal advice and doing what is required of him. I wish all of my clients would be like Brent, who has proven to be
an exceptional person in dealing with the issues facing him.
“I hope the community shows that it is exceptional to in forgiving and moving on.”
Mercury poisoning?
Poston said that Marsh, prior to his actions at the crematory, had no criminal history and points out that the crematory fraud was a non-violent crime.
This, Poston said, should indicate that Marsh would not return to criminal activity.
Poston said Marsh was suffering from the effects mercury toxicity, long-term exposure to the chemical, which led him to the crime.
The subject was debated after a test on Marsh’s hair in 2004, which indicated elevated mercury, Poston said in a February 2007 interview with the Walker County Messenger, though he admitted it was not a definitive answer at the time.
Poston said now the mercury is no longer in Marsh’s system.
In the same interview, Poston said, “Brent has never been able to articulate a reason to himself, to me, or to anybody as to why this happened.”
He said Marsh’s behavior and health problems, also suffered by his late father, crematory founder Ray Marsh, match the effects of long-term exposure to mercury vapors caused by burning dental fillings during cremation.
Many dental fillings are made of a compound of various metals, called dental amalgam, which includes mercury.