State Representative Stefani Lord of New Mexico District 22 has expressed frustration over Democratic legislators blocking her attempts to criminalize necrophilia.
"Raping a corpse is legal in New Mexico because there is no law to prohibit necrophilia," said Lord, New Mexico State Representative for 22nd District (R). "I've presented a bill every year to make necrophilia illegal in NM. Every year, Democrats won't hear it. I wonder why?"
As of early 2025, New Mexico's criminal code does not explicitly prohibit necrophilia, prompting legislative efforts to address this legal gap. According to the New Mexico Legislature, Lord introduced House Bill 320 to classify sexual penetration of a corpse as a second-degree felony, sexual contact as a third-degree felony, and desecration as a fourth-degree felony. The bill was introduced on February 7, 2025, and referred to the House Consumer & Public Affairs Committee. This initiative highlights the absence of direct legal penalties for such acts in the state’s current laws.
Necrophilia laws in the United States vary widely, with several states lacking explicit statutes prohibiting the act. As reported by Wikipedia, states including Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, and Rhode Island do not specifically criminalize necrophilia, although related conduct may be prosecuted under broader abuse or desecration statutes. This inconsistent legal landscape has led to state-level legislative proposals to address perceived loopholes. The issue underscores the reliance on individual state codes in the absence of federal laws.
Lord has introduced necrophilia-related legislation in New Mexico twice in recent years. According to the New Mexico Legislature, she co-sponsored House Bill 60 in 2024, which failed to advance and then introduced House Bill 320 in 2025 with refined legal definitions and penalties. These legislative efforts show her sustained focus on addressing the legal treatment of crimes involving deceased individuals. Her actions reflect a broader push to modernize the state’s criminal statutes.
Stefani Lord is a Republican state representative serving District 22 in the New Mexico House since 2021. According to Ballotpedia, her policy priorities include gun rights, public safety, and government transparency. She has a background in psychology and previously worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Lord has sponsored bills aimed at protecting both living and deceased individuals from criminal harm, emphasizing strict legal consequences for violent offenses.
