Erica Hill
New Title
Since the release of HBO’s chilling true-crime documentary The Mortician, we've seen a noticeable surge in visitors to The Alpha Society's website. For those who found us after watching the series, we understand your curiosity and concern — and we believe in meeting both with transparency.
The documentary focuses on the crimes of David Sconce, a California mortician whose actions in the 1980s shocked not only the funeral industry but the entire country. Sconce was ultimately convicted for orchestrating illegal mass cremations, stealing gold dental work from bodies, and attempting to eliminate competitors through violence. It’s a horrifying story — and unfortunately, The Alpha Society's name appears in that tangled history.
The Alpha Society itself was never involved in those crimes. In fact, both of the funeral directors who previously owned The Alpha Society explicitly refused to do business with Sconce because they recognized early on that something wasn’t right.
One of those men — Tim Waters — was a young, principled funeral director who operated The Alpha Society with integrity. When Sconce approached him with offers to handle cremations at suspiciously low rates, Tim declined. Not long after, he was attacked in his own office — a brutal beating carried out by individuals tied to Sconce. Tim tragically died shortly after, at just 24 years old. His murder remains officially unsolved. The next owner, Elie Estephan, who took over the business later also refused Sconce’s offers — and was himself the victim of a failed murder attempt, for which Sconce was later convicted and imprisoned.
These were not business deals gone wrong. They were acts of violence targeting people who stood up for ethics and transparency in a profession that too often operates in silence.
Today, The Alpha Society is under entirely new ownership and management. We are no longer connected to anyone involved in that era. The business was acquired by Sparrow and is now operated by licensed funeral director Erica Hill, who leads with compassion, integrity, and a deep commitment to doing right by every family we serve.
The Alpha Society today is a far cry from the version seen in old news clips. We offer affordable, ethical cremation and burial services in Los Angeles, with a focus on clear pricing, cultural sensitivity, and personalized care. We welcome families from all backgrounds and support them through some of life’s most vulnerable moments — with dignity, not deception.
If you’ve come here after watching The Mortician, we welcome your questions. We know how important trust is in this work, and we don’t take it lightly that you’re here. This is a new chapter. We’re here to honor the families who came before, to reckon with the truths of the past, and to show what ethical, modern death care can look like moving forward.
If you'd like to talk or learn more, don’t hesitate to reach out.
