Texas embalmer accused of, let’s say, ‘taking things into her own hands’ while processing a SA offender’s corpse

Content warning: This article describes graphic descriptions of corpse abuse. Please take care while reading.

Amber Laudermilk, a former Houston, TX licensed embalmer, is accused of abusing a registered sex offender’s corpse Feb. 7 this year, before his remains were cremated. Legal documents say witnesses saw the embalmer mutilate the man’s genitals and stuff them in his mouth. She then allegedly stabbed him repeatedly with a scalpel in the groin.

Charles Roy Rodriguez, 58, died of natural causes at a Houston hospital in January. In 2001, Rodriguez received 10 years of deferred adjudication on sex abuse charges related to an incident with a woman at a bar, and was required to register as a sex offender, Harris County Constable Alan Rosen said in a statement on social media.

“You didn’t see anything”

Laudermilk, 34, allegedly mutiliated Rodriguez’s remains when she overheard a phone conversation with Rodriguez’s family in which his sex offender status was mentioned.

After the mutilation, Laudermilk, who turned herself in, allegedly threatened other employees at Memorial Mortuary to keep quiet, reportedly telling an embalming student present they “didn’t see anything.”

According to legal documents viewed by Click2Houston, one witness noticed what Laudermilk had done as his body entered the cremation equipment, and Laudermilk covered his groin, saying Rodriquez had “a lot going on with him.”

In his statement announcing Laudermilk was in custody, Constable Rosen said, “This case is about two troubled people: the victim who was a registered sex offender and the defendant, who is accused of viciously attacking his dead body. No matter what one thinks of his life, the law requires that he be treated with dignity in death.”

Rosen added, “I don’t know the suspect’s past, but we have the utmost empathy for anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault or is the family or friend of someone who has been the victim of a sexual assault. The facts clearly indicate she was angry and I hope after this is resolved in the courts, she gets the help she needs.”

Laudermilk is held on $5,000 bond

Amber Paige Laudermilk, 34, who worked as an embalmer, is accused of using a scalpel to stab, castrate, and mutilate the body in February 2025, according to court documents. https://t.co/IM8Umag4h7

— KYTX CBS19 (@kytxcbs19) March 12, 2025

Laudermilk is currently held on a $5,000 bond at Harris County Jail. Her embalming license was suspended the same day she turned herself in, and she is expected to appear in court in May. Memorial Mortuary owned by Claire Brothers Funeral Home confirmed Laudermilk had been fired.

It’s not immediately clear if Rodriguez’s family had commented on the situation. After news of the abuse came out, Memorial Mortuary said in a statement, “We are deeply troubled and saddened by the unlawful and horrifying actions of this individual ex-employee. Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the deceased.”

The statement added, “To confirm what has been already reported, this individual concealed her unlawful actions from the owners and managers. We reported this incident to the authorities as soon as we found out. Memorial Mortuary will conduct continuing education for all its employees this week. Now it’s a matter between law enforcement and the former employee.”