The body of a 32-year-old Georgia man has been missing for over three years after a medical examiner shipped the human remains through FedEx.
Jeffrey Merriweather's body was sent to the Fulton County Medical Examiner after he was found dead in Atlanta in 2019 following a suspected murder.
According to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Merriweather’s remains were subsequently shipped to a special trauma facility in St. Louis for additional testing.
Officials had sent it for a better understanding of how his remains mysteriously decomposed into a 'near-complete skeleton' less than two weeks after his death – but the company never received his body.
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Not only has the situation caused much distress to his family, but the publication has reported that the shipment of his remains may have violated federal law.
According to FedEx’s user manual, human remains are forbidden from being posted using the shipment service.
The US Postal Service is the only entity legally allowed to transport human remains, but only under strict guidelines, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.
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Notably, remains are usually transported across state lines using an airplane. It is not known what form of transportation Merriweather's remains were moved by.
His mother Kathleen told AJC: "It's a nightmare you can't wake up from. I just want — I need — closure. And I know his kids are resilient, but I think they probably need that also."
In light of Merriweather’s missing remains, a FedEx spokesperson confirmed to Insider that 'shipments of this nature are prohibited within the FedEx network.'
They added: "Our thoughts and concerns remain with the family of Mr. Merriweather, however, we request that further questions be directed to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office."
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UNILAD has contacted representatives for the Fulton County Medical Examiner and FedEx for comment.
Merriweather was found dead behind a house in Atlanta, Georgia on 19 June, 2019. Authorities suspected he was the victim of a shooting after a drug deal gone wrong, but questions over the circumstances of his death remain.
A few months after the discovery of his remains, then chief medical examiner for Fulton County, Jan Gorniack, said: "Since he was partially skeletonised, we couldn’t determine a cause of death."
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Gorniack added: "From the tracking number, the last known location was Austell, Georgia".
Merriweather's remains were supposed to take two days to reach to St. Louis, but six weeks after their initial shipment, his parents were notified that the remains were missing.
The family has said they’ve repeatedly called for accountability from both FedEx and the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office, but have yet to get any answers.
Merriweather’s father, Jeffrey Merriweather Sr., told AJC: “I don’t know how this could have happened when you got to sign for stuff. You got tracking numbers.
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“At this point in time, all I want is what’s left of my son and put him to rest.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Lisa McLoughlin