DJ Casey Kasem’s body has been flown to Canada from a Washington state funeral home, his longtime former agent announced on Wednesday.
Casey Kasem, the former host of the syndicated program American Top 40, was moved to Canada by his wife, Jean Kasem, his agent Don Pitts said, after being kept at the Gaffney Funeral Home in Tacoma, Washington. He died on June 15 at the age of 82.
Candace Corkum, administrative manager for the funeral home, confirmed last Friday that Casey Kasem’s body was no longer at the facility.
Casey Kasem had been the focus of a dispute between his three children from his first marriage – Kerri, Julie and Mike – and his second wife, Jean Kasem.
The children said Jean Kasem prevented them from visiting him as he suffered from Lewy body dementia, an illness with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.
Casey Kasem had wanted to be buried at Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California, said Danny Deraney, a spokesman for the siblings.
Danny Deraney said that while Casey Kasem’s wife has the legal right to move the remains without notifying anyone, she should let his friends and family know.
“Right now, she’s not divulging that location. For what reasons, I don’t know,” Danny Deraney said.
A Washington state judge on July 16 forbade movement of the body from the funeral home based on a request by Kerri Kasem to have an autopsy conducted to investigate suspicions of elder abuse, Danny Deraney said.
The order was delivered to the home a day after Casey Kasem’s body was moved, CNN reported.
A spokesman for the Santa Monica Police Department said there was an open and ongoing probe into allegations of elder abuse, but declined to provide further detail.
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