What happens when someone disappears… after they’ve already died? In this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, I’m exploring one of the most unusual and heartbreaking cases I’ve ever researched, the disappearance of Julie Mott’s remains from a San Antonio funeral home following her memorial service. Julie was just 25 years old when she passed away after a lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis. Her family gathered to honor her life, believing they would soon receive her ashes after cremation. Instead, they were met with an unimaginable nightmare: Julie’s embalmed body had vanished. I’ll walk you through the timeline of events, from Julie’s courageous life and memorial service to the shocking discovery that her remains were missing. We’ll examine the police investigation, the role of a former boyfriend who became a person of interest, the civil trial that revealed serious security concerns within the funeral home, and why this mystery remains unsolved nearly a decade later. As a forensic death investigator, I’ll also share my professional perspective on the handling of human remains, chain of custody, funeral home security, and why cases like this are extraordinarily rare. We’ll discuss what the evidence tells us, what it doesn’t, and why preserving the dignity of the deceased is one of the most important responsibilities in death care. No one has ever been criminally charged in connection with the disappearance, and Julie’s remains have never been found. This episode is a sobering reminder that even after death, families deserve answers, transparency, and the assurance that their loved ones will be treated with dignity and respect. Join me as we examine one of the most perplexing and emotionally devastating mysteries in modern death investigation. EPISODE TRANSCRIPT: 00:06   Welcome to Pushing Up Lilies. I’m your host, Julie Mattson. Pushing Up Lilies is a weekly true crime podcast with spine-tingling, unusual, and terrifyingly true stories from my perspective as a forensic death investigator and a sexual assault nurse examiner.   00:24   Do I have some stories for you? Are you ready? Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Pushing Up Lilies. I’m your host, Julie Mattson. School, y’all, is kicking my butt. It is so hard to go back to school when you’re in your late 50s.   00:44   My memory is just not what it used to be. I mean, kudos to all of you who have done this because I didn’t realize how hard it was going to be. I never really realized how much time it was going to require.   00:57  In high school, it wasn’t that difficult for me. I just have not struggled really with school. And I’m not struggling now. It’s more of a time issue because, you know, when you’re an adult and you have a family and you have a granddaughter and you have a job and you own a business and you have a podcast, it’s very difficult to figure out how you’re going to squeeze everything in.   01:22   I’m like guest host on four different podcasts this month. I have a couple of trips planned. I have a leadership meeting this weekend on Friday. I have a three-day conference in September. I’m just so glad that this semester is over on July 31st and I can actually take off a month and a half until the next semester starts.   01:48   And I’m not going to lie, I’m a little bit nervous about my final exam. It actually requires being on video with my instructor and you have very little time to actually do your assignment behind the scenes before you’re being videoed.   02:05   So that makes me extremely nervous. I know I’ve been a nurse for 30 years, but the context is so different. Like to actually diagnose and treat somebody with a medication and to be responsible for what you give them and make sure it works is completely different than graduating with your RN degree.   02:27   It’s a little bit, I don’t know, it’s kind of scary, but I love it. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love it. I know I’m completely capable, but it is a little bit difficult when you get this age because my memory, again, I think I’ve told y’all before, it’s just not what it used to be.   02:45   And so if I was in my 20s, I’d be spitting this stuff back out so fast, it’d be crazy. But now I’m like struggling to remember. Anyway, this week I want to talk to you about a detailed look at one of the most disturbing cases involving the post-death handling of human remains I’ve ever researched.   03:06  This story actually centers on the Julie Mott case. She’s a young woman who fought a long battle with illness only for her remains to disappear from a funeral home in circumstances that remain unresolved years later.   03:21   Now we’re going to cover her life, her death, the memorial service, the shocking discovery, the police investigation, the extensive civil trial with all its revelations, the family’s ongoing search for closure, and the forensic insights into what this case reveals about vulnerabilities in death care facilities.   03:44   Now, this is a thorough examination, and I will pause at key points to allow the weight of the facts to settle. Listener discretion is strongly advised because this episode actually discusses death from chronic illness, profound grief, and the desecration and loss of human remains, and the lasting trauma to surviving family members.   04:10   All information presented is drawn directly from publicly available court documents, police statements, and credible journaling reporting. I know I’ve told y’all before, I’m not making this stuff up.   04:24   No speculation beyond what has been officially documented. If you’re experiencing grief or emotional distress, again, please reach out to professional support resources in your area. We’re going to spend significant time on each phase