PHOENIX — A 31-year-old man is accused of breaking into the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office and gaining access to corpses, multiple law enforcement sources tell ABC15.
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office officials confirmed that they responded to a 911 call at the M.E.'s office shortly after 1:30 a.m. for a possible burglary.
During a search of the building, authorities located an individual and took them into custody.
Fenris Lu, 31, had an initial appearance in Maricopa County court on Wednesday on burglary charges and multiple counts of sexual conduct with a dead body.
Investigators allege Lu had sexual conduct with several of the bodies, according to sources.
A boarded-up window and glass on the ground were visible outside the medical examiner's office on Wednesday. Court documentation in Lu's case was sealed at prosecutors' request.
Tom Van Dorn of the Maricopa County Attorney's Office explained the reasoning behind the seal in court on Wednesday.
"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, and they'd also like a little bit of time to assess the potential impact to possibly other criminal cases in which the decedents may have been associated," Van Dorn said.
In court, a commissioner agreed with the county attorney's recommendation and set a $500,000 cash bond for Lu, who did not appear in person for court on Wednesday due to “combative behavior."
Lu is accused of the following charges:
- Burglary in the third degree (unlawful entry) — Class 4 Felony
- Criminal damage (deface) — Class 5 Felony
- Escape in the second degree (felony custody) — Class 2 Felony
- Burglary, possession of tools — Class 6 Felony
- 4 counts of sexual conduct with a dead person — Class 4 Felony
MCSO officials released a statement Wednesday afternoon. Read the full statement below:
"This remains an active and sensitive investigation being led by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives are currently working diligently to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and are in the process of making notifications to any individuals who may have been affected.
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 professionalism and partnership demonstrated by all agencies involved has been critical in ensuring the scene was safely secured and the investigation could proceed efficiently.
Out of respect for those potentially impacted and to protect the integrity of the investigation, no additional details are being released at this time."
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