A man has been accused of breaking into a medical examiner's office in Arizona and performing sex acts on dead bodies, according to law enforcement authorities.
Incident Details
Fenris Lu, 31, was captured on surveillance footage using a crowbar to force entry into the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office. Once inside, he broke the seals on 11 body bags, the county sheriff's office reported.
Officers from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office responded to a possible burglary report at approximately 1:30 a.m. on May 20. Alongside the Phoenix Police Department, they secured the facility and located Lu inside.
Multiple law enforcement sources informed Fox 10 that Lu had sexual contact with at least four bodies within the building. The identities and exact number of individuals he allegedly targeted remain unknown.
Charges Filed
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office has charged Lu with multiple felonies, including burglary, escape, and four counts of sexual conduct with a dead body.
A court hearing was held on Wednesday, but Lu did not appear after the commissioner deemed him a danger to himself and others, according to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
“The state's been informed by law enforcement investigating this case that they need a little bit of time to make notification to the next of kin for the decedents in this matter,” the attorney's office said, per Fox 10. “They'd also like a little bit of time to assess the potential impact to possibly other criminal cases in which the decedent may have been associated.”
Law enforcement is currently investigating whether the decedents were involved in other criminal cases and if Lu's actions potentially compromised evidence in those investigations.
Operational Impact
Operations at the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office have been temporarily halted while investigations continue. The Independent has contacted the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for additional comment.
Lu's bail has been set at $500,000, and he will require electronic supervision if bail is posted. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 29.
“We want to acknowledge the coordinated response and ongoing collaboration between the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Maricopa County Security Services, and the Phoenix Police Department,” the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said in a statement shared with Fox 10. “The professionalism and partnership demonstrated by all agencies involved has been critical in ensuring the scene was safely secured and the investigation could proceed efficiently.”
The sheriff's office added that no further details would be released at this time out of respect for the victims' families.
