NOBLE, Ga. – Searchers discovered a new pit containing five corpses and investigators said there is no end in sight to their gruesome task of finding discarded bodies on the grounds of a Georgia crematory.
``The magnitude of the situation has not yet been totally determined, and will not be for some time,'' said David Ashburn, the Walker County emergency management director.
Searchers found the new pit Sunday as they worked to clear trash, brush and timber from grounds near Tri-State Crematory. They found bones scattered near the surface, then dug by hand and came upon five corpses.
The bodies brought the total to 306.
Sixty-five had been identified, and authorities hoped DNA collected from families would help identify more. Already, more than 3,500 families have provided information to investigators, Ashburn said.
Some of the families joined residents of Walker County at church services Sunday, using their faith to respond to crisis.
``How would you explain what happened back here?'' Charles Cornwell, pastor of Center Point Baptist Church, said as he stretched his arm in the direction of the nearby crematory. ``I think it could be summed up in one word — sin. Sin does two things. Sin blinds us and sin makes us do dumb things.''
The crematory operator, Ray Brent Marsh, remained in jail pending a judge's decision on whether to grant him a bond. There was no word on when the decision might come.
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