Parcells banned from doing business, ordered to pay $700K+ for autopsy crimes

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Shawn Parcells, the man convicted of performing illegal autopsies, and the three companies he ran to do so have been banned from doing business in the State of Kansas and ordered to pay more than $700,000.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says during the week of Aug. 1, Shawn Parcells and three corporate entities he controlled were permanently banned from doing business and ordered to pay more than $250,000 in restitution after his unlawful autopsy services.

AG Schmidt Shawnee Co. District Judge Mary Christopher ordered Parcells, 42, who has lived in both Topeka and Leawood, and his corporate entities - Parcells Forensic Pathology Group LLC; ParCo-Parcells and Company, LLC; and National Autopsy and Tissue Recovery Services, Inc., - to pay $254,762.98 in restitution to 83 customers related to the private autopsy services.

Schmidt noted that Parcells and the companies were also ordered to pay a $200,000 penalty for violating the Kansas Consumer Protection Act, and a $200,000 penalty for violation of the Kansas False Claims Act related to coroner-ordered autopsy services provided in Wabaunsee Co. He was also ordered to pay Wabaunsee Co. $49,600 in damages.

According to Schmidt, Parcells and the corporations were also ordered to pay $60,000 in investigative and receivership fees. He agreed to the terms in the consent judgments approved at the beginning of August by Christopher.

In total, Parcells has been ordered to pay about $704,362.98.

Schmidt said Christopher also banned Parcells and the entities from doing business in Kansas for services related to the human body, performing services regulated as a healing art - including any COVID-related services - and from filing a claim against any political subdivision. He is required to comply with all Kansas statutes that regulate any profession and is banned from using any titles or initials that include professions in the healing arts or any other profession for which he has not received an education, certification or qualification.

Schmidt noted that the case was initially filed in 2019 and alleged that Parcells contracted with Wabaunsee Co. to perform coroner-ordered autopsies and failed to conduct them in accordance with state law. Additionally, he was accused of performing private autopsies without the presence of supervision or a licensed pathologist or otherwise in violation of consumer protection laws.

In the course of the investigation and litigation, Schmidt said the state gained control of more than 1,700 biological samples collected by Parcells.

In Nov. 2019, Schmidt said Christopher appointed the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as a receiver and directed the KDHE to take control of the samples.

Under court order, Schmidt noted that the state cataloged and stored the samples. Upon proper and verified request, the samples were released to family members who requested them.

Schmidt did say that the receivership will end soon and a notice will be posted on the attorney general’s website and distributed to the media providing family members with 30 days to submit a request for the release of samples. After which, he said any remaining samples not requested for release will be proceed by order of the court. Family members may call the AG’s Victim Services Division at 785-291-3950 for more information.

“It is important to remember that behind all these case details are individuals and family members who have been put in unimaginable circumstances due to Parcells’s conduct,” Schmidt said. “Navigating the loss of a loved one can be difficult enough, but the additional harm created by Shawn Parcells has added to that difficulty. Though the resolution of this case does not undo that harm, our hope is that affected family members can now at least properly grieve.”

In November 2021, Schmidt indicated that a jury convicted Parcells on six criminal charges related to the services he illegally provided in Wabaunsee Co. In that case, he was convicted of three counts fo felony theft and three misdemeanor counts of criminal desecration. The jury found he had unlawfully obtained money from the county to perform the autopsies in three cases.

In addition, Schmidt said Parcells had unauthorized control of bodies and performed autopsies in three instances without a pathologist performing the autopsies - all of which violate state law.

According to Schmidt, the crimes took place in 2014 and 2015. His sentence is pending.

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