A former security guard in a Phoenix hospital was arrested Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a deceased woman’s body, according to CBS 5.
Forty-six-year-old Randall Bird allegedly assaulted the corpse of a 79-year-old woman in October at the Banner University Medical Center’s morgue, CBS 5 reported. Security guards are tasked with transferring deceased bodies to the morgue, but are not allowed to open the body bags.
Bird was allegedly caught with his belt off and his zipper down, according to court documents reported by CBS 5. Witnesses also claim that Bird was “sweating profusely” and “acting very nervous.” The victim’s body bag was found unzipped, and Bird’s belt was found on the gurney carrying the corpse, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Murderer Sexually Abused Over 100 Corpses At Hospital Over 15 Years Before Being Caught: REPORT)
Sicko hospital security guard accused of having sex with 79-year-old woman’s corpse: reports https://t.co/oQFPczTJ4n pic.twitter.com/OEwuPhhDuI
— New York Post (@nypost) November 30, 2023
Bird allegedly attempted to explain the situation by claiming a medical episode caused him to faint and inadvertently caused him to open the body bag. However, his account was reportedly inconsistent with the evidence, CBS 5 noted. Forensic evidence collected from the scene reportedly confirmed Bird’s DNA on the victim, leading to his arrest, the outlet added.
He faces multiple charges including several counts of crimes against a dead person, and a class 4 felony, CBS 5 reported. This type of felony could result in one to four years of imprisonment for first-time offenders.
“We are saddened and appalled by the alleged actions of an individual at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix that resulted in his arrest on November 28, 2023. Recently, Banner team members identified and reported concerning behavior of an employee in the hospital morgue. Banner initiated an internal investigation, filed a report with law enforcement and terminated the employee,” Banner Health said in a statement, according to CBS 5.
“Banner Health has and remains committed to high standards that require each of our team members to treat everyone, at every stage of life, with compassion, dignity, and respect,” the statement continued, according to CBS 5. “We are grateful for the work of the Phoenix Police Department in the investigation and handling of this matter, and we will continue to cooperate with law enforcement.”