Coroner Charged With Stealing From The Dead

A coroner must stand trial on charges he stole money and valuables from bodies and dead people’s homes, a judge ruled.

Lycoming County Coroner George Gedon is accused of taking cash and jewelry off corpses both as coroner and as an independent funeral director, although witnesses saw him pocket only a handful of coins.

A judge ruled Friday there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial with 85 of 98 counts of theft, burglary and tampering with public records.

Gedon, 68, remains in the coroner’s position he has held since 1980, having been elected to a fifth four-year term last year. His funeral director’s license, however, has been revoked.