ASH FLAT, Ark. — Sharp County coroner-elect Seth Wortham was arrested Friday, June 12, following an investigation into an alleged fraudulent pet cremation, according to the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office.
Sharp County Sheriff Shane Russell said Wortham was taken into custody and booked into the Sharp County Detention Center. He faces allegations of theft of property, obstructing governmental operations and tampering with physical evidence.
According to the sheriff’s office, the case began after a victim reported paying Wortham for pet cremation services. Investigators allege Wortham later returned ashes to the victim and represented them as the pet’s remains.
Authorities allege the pet was not cremated and was instead buried at a location in Sharp County. Investigators also allege the ashes returned to the victim were from another animal that had been cremated years earlier.
The case has been turned over to prosecutors for review and possible formal charges.
In a statement, Russell said the sheriff’s office remains committed to conducting fair, thorough, transparent and impartial investigations regardless of a person’s position or status. He said investigators will continue to follow the facts, uphold the law and ensure due process for all involved.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials said no additional details are being released at this time.
Anyone who used pet cremation services through Wortham Funeral Home and has specific questions or concerns related to their pet’s cremation is encouraged to contact the Sharp County Sheriff’s Office at 870-994-7356.
All charges are allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
