Authorities say the suspect entered the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office and tampered with multiple body bags.
PHOENIX, AZ — A 31-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after authorities said he broke into the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office in downtown Phoenix and had sexual contact with several bodies inside the facility.
Fenris Lu faces multiple felony counts after the early morning break-in at the county morgue near Seventh Avenue and Jefferson Street. The case has raised questions about security at a facility that handles deaths under investigation, including homicides, suicides, accidents and other cases that may later move through court. Officials said the investigation remains active while families are notified and the county reviews whether evidence in other cases may have been affected.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded around 1:33 a.m. May 20 to a 911 call reporting a possible burglary at the medical examiner’s office. Phoenix police officers and Maricopa County Security Services personnel were already at the scene and helped secure the building, the sheriff’s office said. During a search, authorities found one person inside and took him into custody. “During a subsequent search of the building, one individual was located and ultimately taken into custody without incident,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement released after the arrest.
Law enforcement sources said Lu was seen on surveillance video breaking the seals on 11 body bags and having sexual contact with four bodies. Authorities have not released the names of the deceased people, and officials said they needed more time to notify next of kin. The number of bodies affected has not been fully disclosed by county officials, and investigators have not said how long Lu was inside the building before officers found him. Reports said a crowbar was used to enter the facility. Officials also have not publicly described a motive or said whether Lu had any connection to the morgue, the county, the deceased people or their families.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office performs autopsies and forensic exams for deaths that fall under county review. Those cases can include deaths tied to criminal investigations, making the handling of bodies, clothing, biological samples and other evidence important to future court proceedings. A representative for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said in court that officials were reviewing whether the alleged acts could affect other criminal cases connected to the deceased people. Because of the investigation and family notifications, forensic testing, autopsies and organ donations at the office were paused, according to reports from the initial court appearance.
Lu is accused of burglary, four counts of sexual conduct with a dead body, criminal damage, escape and possession of burglary tools. A judge set his cash bond at $500,000 during an initial court hearing. If released, Lu would be placed on electronic monitoring. He did not appear in court because a court commissioner determined he was a danger to himself and others, according to reports from the hearing. Court documents were not fully available Thursday after prosecutors asked for time to notify families and protect the investigation. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29.
The sheriff’s office said the response involved several agencies working together after the burglary call came in. “We want to acknowledge the coordinated response and ongoing collaboration between the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Maricopa County Security Services, and the Phoenix Police Department,” the agency said. Officials said the building was secured so investigators could process the scene. They also said no further details would be released immediately out of respect for those affected and to protect the integrity of the case.
The case drew public attention because it involved a county facility that is normally closed to the public and handles sensitive evidence in death investigations. Experts interviewed by local media described the allegations as rare and disturbing. The incident also recalled a separate 2023 Phoenix case in which a former hospital security guard was accused of sexual contact with a corpse inside a hospital morgue. Authorities have not linked the two cases. In the current investigation, officials have not said whether security rules at the medical examiner’s office will change or whether any county employees are under review.
As of Thursday, Lu remained charged in the case, and the investigation was continuing. The next public step is the scheduled preliminary hearing on May 29, when prosecutors are expected to outline how the case will proceed.
Author note: Last updated Thursday, May 21, 2026.