Vivian - Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator and Shreveport Police Chief Henry Whitehorn announced today the arrest of Vivian funeral home director William J. "Jimmy" McGuire on theft charges.

McGuire, 61, was arrested at his business this afternoon on a warrant obtained by the Caddo-Shreveport Financial Crimes Task Force. Detectives also searched McGuire's Funeral Home at 705 South Spruce Street for records and other documentation.

The warrant accuses McGuire of four counts of felony theft for taking a total of $44,000 out of customers' pre-paid funeral accounts. A complaint with the Task Force was filed by the Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors after it found irregularities with customers' accounts during an audit. Each account was in the name of McGuire's Funeral Home and the individual who purchased it.

The investigation into the thefts is continuing and more victims could be identified. If you purchased a pre-paid funeral from McGuire's Funeral Home between 2003 and 2008, please contact Shreveport Police Detective Jason Persons at 681-0786.