Family members verbally attack suspect in abuse of Toledo corpse case

Court Deputy Roger Kerner, center, talks to the family of the victim, from left: Sherry Hundsrucker, Tim Shular, Cindy Putman, in scrubs, and Connie Shular, after they followed Lawrence Clement down the hallway after his arraignment Monday for one count of abuse of a corpse.

The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
Buy This Image

Lawrence Clement, 57, center, talks with court Deputy Kevin Wiezbinski, front left, after his arraignment on Monday for one count of abuse of a corpse. Mr. Clement is flanked by his wife, left, and mother-in-law, in white at right, and faces his attorney Ann Baronas.

A 57-year-old Michigan man charged with abuse of a corpse for allegedly “fondling” a woman’s body at a west-side funeral home was verbally attacked Monday by family members of the victim immediately after he pleaded not guilty during an arraignment in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

Lawrence J. Clement, of 2411 Sunnydale Dr., Temperance, was arrested last month and accused of having “sexual contact by means of touching erogenous zones” of Brenda Shular-Cameron, 51. The woman’s family waited outside the courtroom of Judge Stacy Cook and cursed at him as his attorney, Ann Baronas, escorted him out.

Court Deputy Roger Kerner, center, talks to the family of the victim, from left: Sherry Hundsrucker, Tim Shular, Cindy Putman, in scrubs, and Connie Shular, after they followed Lawrence Clement down the hallway after his arraignment Monday for one count of abuse of a corpse.

Sherry Hundsrucker, aunt of the victim, said she was horrified to hear the charges and hopes the suspect “rots in hell.”

“I think it is sad we have to worry about people who are still here with us,” Ms. Hundsrucker said after the confrontation. “A year is not enough time in jail for this. She was a beautiful woman and for someone to do this to her after death is unthinkable.”

Four family members chased Mr. Clement down the stairs from the fourth-floor courtroom, cursing and yelling. Court security stopped the four on the second floor where Court Deputy Roger Kerner warned them that they would be barred from the courthouse if they continued to harass the suspect.

Ms. Hundsrucker shed tears in the courthouse as security stopped them while other deputies escorted the suspect, his wife, and his mother-in-law outside.

The suspect did not speak during the arraignment. Instead, his attorney entered the not guilty plea. A pretrial hearing was set for May 11.

Mr. Clement, who worked part time at H.H. Birkenkamp Funeral Home on Tremainsville Road, has since been fired by the company.

Ms. Shular-Cameron died of multiple organ failure.