Ray Brent Marsh, the operator of a northwest Georgia crematory where 334 corpses were discovered in 2002, apologized to the community Monday in a handwritten letter.

Marsh pleaded guilty to 787 counts of theft, abuse of a corpse, burial service fraud and making false statements. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2004 and walked out of Central State Prison in Bibb County on June 29.

RELATED: “There will never be closure,” victim’s granddaughter says as Ray Brent Marsh leaves prison

“I humbly and very respectfully acknowledge the hurt and pain my actions have caused,” Marsh wrote. “I sincerely apologize.”

The Tri-State Crematory was torn down in 2005 as part of a settlement with relatives of people sent there.

The mystery inspired a Georgia-based filmmaker.

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