Two elderly men were charged Wednesday for an alleged attempt to dig up a grandmother’s grave at a Missouri cemetery, KSDK reported.
Jimmie Allen and Zebulun Nash, both 73, have been charged with attempting to destroy cemetery property, according to KSDK .
Police responded to the scene on Aug. 22 and found Allen allegedly removing soil from a gravesite as Nash, dirt-caked, talked on the phone nearby, KSDK reported. Nash reportedly claimed they had spent the previous few days exhuming his grandmother’s remains for reburial, with Allen reportedly telling cops he had completed the majority of the digging, the outlet noted.
The 103-year-old burial ground is primarily African American, with Amazing Grace LLC claiming ownership since 2009. The company’s representatives noted that Nash “bought the plot, owns it and can do whatever he wants to it,” per KSDK.
2 men in their 70s charged with illegal grave digging at Washington Park Cemetery https://t.co/iNxuQv8ojm
— KSDK News (@ksdknews) November 9, 2023
Contrary to this claim, Berkeley Police Chief Art Jackson cited Missouri law, which dictates a state order is required for exhumation, a document the pair reportedly hadn’t obtained, the outlet noted. (RELATED: Arlington National Cemetery Abruptly Closes Due To Bomb Threat)
“The real older man said that they paid somebody to dig up the body, but they got ripped off, so they took it upon themselves to dig up the body. I do feel sorry for the man whose loved one is or was buried there,” witness Kiesha Wayne told the outlet.
Due to their age and the day’s intense heat, authorities released the men after the initial arrest. Nash is scheduled for a Dec. 12 plea hearing, while details regarding Allen’s summons remain undisclosed, KSDK reported.