(1) A person commits abuse of a corpse if, without statutory or court-ordered authority, the person:
(a) Removes the body or remains of any person from a grave or other place of sepulcher without the consent of the person who has the right to dispose of the remains pursuant to section 15-19-106; or
(b) Treats the body or remains of any person in a way that would outrage normal family sensibilities.
(2) Abuse of a corpse is a class 6 felony.
(3) (a) A defendant may not be convicted of both abuse of a corpse, as described in subsection (1) of this section, and tampering with a deceased human body, as described in section 18-8-610.5 (1), if the act arises out of a single incident.
(b) If a defendant is charged with both abuse of a corpse, as described in subsection (1) of this section, and tampering with a deceased human body, as described in section 18-8-610.5 (1), the court shall proceed pursuant to section 18-1-408.
Source: L. 71: R&RE, p. 483, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 40-13-101. L. 2005: Entire section amended, p. 206, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2020: IP(1), (1)(a), and (2) amended and (3) added, (HB 20-1148), ch. 100, p. 387, § 2, effective September 14.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
5
cases (
2 in the last 5 years), 1982–2026 · leading case:
People v. Grenier, 200 P.3d 1062 (Colo. Ct. App. 2008).
People v. Grenier, 200 P.3d 1062 (Colo. Ct. App. 2008).
· cites it 3× “2007, and abuse of a corpse, section 18-13-101, C.R.S.2007. We affirm.”
People v. Bookman, 646 P.2d 924 (Colo. 1982).
· cites it 3× “He entered a guilty plea to the misdemean- or charge of abuse of a corpse, section 18-13-101, C.R.S.1973. After a preliminary hearing, the court found probable cause only as to the lesser included offense of second degree murder.”
Hare v. People, 800 P.2d 1317 (Colo. 1990).
· cites it 2× “(1986), and the lesser non-included offense of abuse of a corpse, § 18-13-101, 8B C.R.S. (1986). [2] At trial the defendant testified that she and Ferguson struggled for a gun and that during the struggle Ferguson was shot.”
Huff v. Verquer, No. 1:24-cv-02465 (D. Colo. Sept. 9, 2025).
· cites it 6× “Mishandling a Body In the section describing this claim, Plaintiff references Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-13-101 . (Doc. No. 1 at ¶¶ 45–51.”
Peo v. Greggs, No. 24CA0524 (Colo. Ct. App. Feb. 19, 2026).
· cites it 3× “2025; § 18-13-101, C.R.S. 2016.2 ¶7 Greggs resolved the case through a plea deal.”
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