Criminal Law - Dismembering or Burying Human Remains With Intent to Conceal a Crime
Summary
HB674 creates a new criminal offense in Maryland for intentionally concealing another person’s death. The bill prohibits a person, with the intent to hide a death, from failing to contact emergency medical services or law enforcement, from knowingly and willfully dismembering, destroying, removing, burying, disposing of, or otherwise obliterating human remains, or from burying or otherwise disposing of a dead body. It also makes it a crime to aid or abet someone else in committing those acts.
The bill classifies a violation as a felony punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment. It also provides that a sentence under this section may be consecutive to, rather than concurrent with, any other sentence imposed for a related crime based on the same conduct. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, and is codified as new Criminal Law § 10-405.
Impact
HB674 adds a new section to Maryland’s Criminal Law Article and expands the state’s criminal code to specifically address concealment of death and the destruction or disposal of human remains done to hide a crime. It creates direct liability for the underlying conduct and secondary liability for aiding and abetting, and it authorizes a felony sentence of up to 10 years, with potential consecutive sentencing. The bill affects people accused of concealing deaths, handling human remains, or assisting in such conduct, as well as prosecutors and courts applying the new offense.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition in the available record. It passed the House 137-0 and the Senate 42-0, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, but the voting history suggests the measure was viewed as a straightforward public-safety and criminal-law clarification.
Contention
No notable points of contention are reflected in the available materials. The main policy choice embodied in the bill is the creation of a distinct felony for concealment of death and related handling of remains, including the possibility of consecutive sentencing. If there were concerns, they are not evident from the unanimous votes or the absence of recorded committee debate in the provided context.