Six more bodies have been found behind the house of the owner of a crematorium in Georgia. Investigators said Wednesday this brings the total number of bodies found on the crematorium grounds to more than 200.

Crematorium operator Ray Brent Marsh is being held on 16 charges of theft by deception for allegedly getting paid for cremations he did not perform.

Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson told a news conference 35 of the bodies found so far have been identified.

Georgia's chief medical examiner Kris Sperry says the number of people involved in the search is being increased because it is a slow process. He says workers need to use their hands and shovels to preserve the bodies.

Officials say they are getting about 600 calls each day from people across the United States concerned about their loved ones.

The director of the Georgia emergency management office Gary McConnell says a lake on the property may be drained because investigators found a skull and a body in it. He says the state is making preparations to stay on the property for at least eight months, as the search for bodies continues.

Georgia Governor Roy Barnes is deciding whether to apply for federal disaster assistance because the recovery effort is getting expensive.

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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