Karen Greenlee

Karen Greenlee is an individual whose case became widely known in the early 1980s due to her involvement in necrophilia. Greenlee worked as an apprentice embalmer at a funeral home in Sacramento, California, where she was arrested in 1979 for stealing a hearse and the body it contained. Her case brought significant attention to the subject of necrophilia, a topic that was relatively taboo and not widely discussed in public discourse at the time.

Background

Karen Greenlee was born in 1956. Little is publicly known about her early life before the incident that made her infamous. She began working at the Memorial Lawn Mortuary in Sacramento, California, where her duties included embalming, a profession that requires close contact with deceased individuals.

The Incident

In December 1979, Greenlee absconded with a hearse that was en route to a funeral. The vehicle was later found with the body of a young man inside, along with a 750-word confession written by Greenlee that detailed her fascination and sexual involvement with corpses. This incident led to her arrest and subsequent legal proceedings.

Legal Proceedings and Aftermath

Karen Greenlee was charged with interfering with a funeral service, a misdemeanor, as there were no laws specifically addressing necrophilia in California at the time. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a fine and undergo counseling. The case sparked a media frenzy and brought the issue of necrophilia into public consciousness. It also prompted discussions about the need for legal reforms to address such acts.

Impact on Law and Society

The Karen Greenlee case highlighted the absence of specific legal provisions for dealing with necrophilia in many jurisdictions. Following her case, there was increased advocacy for legal changes to address crimes involving sexual acts with corpses. Her case is often cited in discussions about the legal and ethical aspects of necrophilia.

In Popular Culture

Karen Greenlee's story has been referenced in various forms of media, including books, documentaries, and articles, often as a case study in discussions about necrophilia and its place in law and society.

See Also

• Necrophilia
• Legal aspects of death
• Forensic pathology