Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 14, 1994 TAG: 9402140044
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Short
During Saturday's arrests, investigators recovered some items taken from the casket of John M. Marks, said Sgt. John Patterson of the Hampton police.
Patterson said the motive for the break-in apparently was burglary. He said he didn't know why the burglars set fire to the casket.
Authorities arrested a 16-year-old Hampton boy and Matthew J. Wright, 18, of Newport News. Wright and the boy were charged with displacing a dead body, two counts of breaking and entering, grand larceny and arson.
The break-in occurred Wednesday morning at Hampton Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
Marks, 67, died the week before. He was wearing various pieces of jewelry when placed in the casket, family members said.
One relative, who asked not to be identified, said the arrests of strangers were a relief. "It's very comforting," she said. "I'd hate to think that I knew somebody who would do something like that."
"I feel hurt for the people who did it," she said, "because you don't play with dead people. You don't do that."
Marks' body was badly burned in the fire, and cousin Mitchell Marks said the family was more distressed by that than the burglary.
"I mean, this person here died three times," Mitchell Marks said. "He died of a heart attack, he was burned up and now he might have to be cremated." - Associated Press
by CNB