Two Indiana grave robbers were arrested for stealing bronze headstone markers from veterans’ graves at multiple cemeteries.
Thieves snatch fallen veteran’s bronze headstone markers
Terry L. Wood Jr., aged 53, and Breanna C. Puentez, aged 25, are facing charges of felony theft and multiple counts of felony cemetery mischief, as per the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office.
The duo is accused of taking 15 bronze headstone markers from the graves of multiple veterans at six different cemeteries in the county, with another marker reportedly damaged in the process.
‘This type of criminal behavior is disgusting, unacceptable, and will not be tolerated in La Porte County!’ stated Captain Derek J. Allen of the sheriff’s office.
“Hopefully, US Veterans, both deceased and living, can find peace and comfort with these arrests, and with that, we salute them for their service.”
Detectives Jake Koch, who is a veteran, and Aaron Banic initiated the investigation into the thefts on August 28.
The sheriff’s office urged local families of deceased veterans to visit the gravesites to find out if their bronze headstone markers were still intact.
Grave robbers arrested for stealing bronze headstone markers
Just a day after the announcement of the investigation, authorities had already figured out who one of the suspects was.
On Friday, authorities apprehended Wood at a residential property, where additional evidence was found. The following day, Puentez was arrested.
Wood is held on a $15,005 cash-only bond, while Puentez has already secured her freedom by paying her bond.
The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office was aided in the investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division, La Porte County Warrants Division, La Porte County Drug Task Force, Fugitive Apprehension Street Team, and the US Department of Veteran Affairs.
Woman steals coffin from funeral home
In another ghoulish incident, a Las Vegas woman faces charges of grand larceny, burglary, and disturbing human remains after allegedly stealing a casket that had a corpse inside it from a funeral home at the end of August.
Patricia Sierra, aged 47, is accused of stealing the casket from the Affordable Cremation and Burial Service funeral home in the early morning hours of August 27.
A witness reported seeing a body lying face down outside the funeral home, the day before relatives were set to arrive for the deceased person’s funeral services.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured Sierra breaking a window to gain entry into the funeral home.
The video allegedly shows her manhandling the casket out of the viewing room and taking it outside. Police eventually discovered the corpse in the lawn area in front of the building.
A spokesperson from Affordable Cremation and Burial Service commented, “There is an ongoing investigation, so we cannot comment, other than to say an individual was arrested after attempting to burglarize our location.”
Police were able to track down Sierra two days later at a convenience store, thanks to a witness who recognized her.
According to the arrest report, Sierra has a history of substance abuse and claimed she didn’t remember the incident.
She reportedly confessed to consuming alcohol on the night of the incident and said that she occasionally “blacks out.”
The Sierra allegedly told police she was not acting with malicious intent and admitted to previously breaking into a different business by smashing a window with a rock.
Sierra is still behind bars until she can come up with the $11,000 bail, according to court records. Her initial hearing is scheduled for September 18.
