The Winnipeg police dive unit searched two retention ponds at Wheeler Cemetery last summer, looking for cremated human remains and medical devices, such as artificial hips and pacemakers, a search warrant says.

In order to get a judge to approve the search, police said they had reasonable grounds to believe Chad Wheeler "indecently offer[ed] an indignity to the human remains placed in his care as a funeral director/embalmer by throwing cremated ashes sealed in a plastic bag into the retention ponds" between July 5, 2011, and March 19, 2018.

"That's extremely unusual and disturbing to hear," said Jayson Gordon of the Funeral Service Association of Canada. He said he knows of no other instance of these sorts of allegations.

"[Ashes] represent the person who has passed away and they are very meaningful to families," Gordon said. "It is somebody's loved one."

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Three additional search warrants were executed in October at the Symington Road cemetery, but the documents that list what, if anything, was found during the searches remain sealed by a provincial court judge.

Winnipeg police divers searched for cremated human remains in these two ponds next to the crematorium building at Wheeler Cemetery. 0:36

Winnipeg police said the financial crimes unit started investigating Wheeler in April 2018, soon after Wheeler Funeral Home, Cemetery and Crematorium went into receivership.

Last June, the receiver said it referred more than 100 complaints it received from Wheeler clients to police, including:

More than 70 for missing trust funds.

More than 25 for missing insurance plans.

More than 25 for missing cemetery perpetual care funds and other issues such as missing grave markers/headstones.

None of the allegations or complaints set out in the search warrant or receiver's report have been proven in court.

No charges of any kind have been laid in this case.

"Financial crime investigations, like the Wheeler Funeral Home matter, are often incredibly complex, with numerous layers and challenges," Winnipeg police Const. Jay Murray said in an emailed statement.

Chad Wheeler, former general manager of the funeral home, declined to comment directly. Through his lawyer, he said any allegations of fraud are erroneous and he denies them vehemently.

Seen carrying coffin

The Funeral Board of Manitoba suspended Wheeler's licence to provide funeral and embalming services in July 2018 and revoked it entirely in January after the board found Wheeler received money for prearranged funeral service plans from more than a dozen people but failed to place the funds in a trust account.

A spokesperson for the funeral board said Wheeler's licence to sell prearranged funeral services lapsed in March 2016 and has never been renewed.

Despite the lack of a licence, Wheeler:

Was listed as funeral director on a program for an August 2018 funeral service for an Island Lake First Nation band member.

Billed $5,000 in October 2018 for the funeral of a deceased woman from Split Lake First Nation.

Was seen by CBC News arriving at a North End church in a hearse in November; he appeared to ask others to help him carry a coffin inside.

Has an outgoing voice message on his phone that says he is a funeral director.

CBC News observed Chad Wheeler arrive at Blessings Church on College Avenue in a hearse on Nov. 22, 2018, and proceed to carry a coffin inside. 0:50

The Funeral Board of Manitoba said an individual can assist with work at a funeral home, providing that person does not present himself to be a funeral director.

"Individuals must be licensed to sell prearranged funeral services and to act as funeral director and/or embalmer. Some individuals may work in the industry without licensure if they are doing work that is not regulated (e.g., greeter)," the spokesperson said in an email to CBC News.

"Anyone concerned about a funeral-related service provided by Mr. Wheeler should contact their local police agency or the Funeral Board of Manitoba," the spokesperson said.

The fallout from Wheeler's failed business has hit grieving families hard.

Valerie McDonald questions whether the urn she was given actually contains her mother's ashes. Wheeler Funeral Home was contracted by another funeral director to cremate the remains.

Valerie McDonald isn't certain the ashes given to her after her mother's funeral are actually her remains. (Lyzaville Sale/CBC)

McDonald was given an urn in spring 2018, but a few months later, her brother discovered it was empty.

"I panicked. We freaked," McDonald said.

She contacted the receiver about the empty urn and eventually got a bag of ashes, but only after contacting the media.

"I have no clue if it's her or not, and I will never know," McDonald said.

McDonald was skeptical the ashes belonged to her mother because the only identification on the bag was a number.

"I hate thinking about it. I know that she's gone and wherever her soul goes but these — I don't feel like they're her ashes."

McDonald is even more troubled after learning police searched two retention ponds because of allegations Wheeler may have dumped cremated remains.

"Could have been my mom, too, because I really don't believe that's my mom's ashes."

Receiver Joel Lazer of Lazer Grant said the number labelled on the ashes corresponded to McDonald's mother's name in the cremation log.



"We handled all concerns with the relevant level of care and compassion," said Lazer. "We are not aware of any unlocated ashes."

But the receiver said police would not reveal any details of the investigation.