Posted on 10/29/2004 9:43:36 AM PDT by flying Elvis
PORTAGE, Wis. (AP) — A woman has been arrested for digging up her dead boyfriend's ashes from a cemetery more than 10 years ago and drinking the beer that was buried with him, possibly out of spite for his family, authorities say.
Karen Stolzmann, 44, was charged Tuesday with concealing stolen property, in a case Columbia County Detective Wayne Smith calls ``twisted and bizarre.''
Sheboygan County District Attorney Joe De Cecco said Thursday he would determine if additional charges should be filed in his county since the urn was found at Stolzmann's Sheboygan home.
Michael Hendrickson, 27, died in 1992 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His family contacted authorities three weeks ago when they discovered his remains had been stolen.
An exhumation revealed Hendrickson's cremated remains — along with beer and cigarettes that were buried with him — were missing from Cambria Cemetery in Cambria.
Detectives searched Stolzmann's home and found her hiding in the shower. The remains, located in her garage, had ``identifiable things to make us believe they're (Hendrickson's),'' Smith said.
Detective Jay Yerges said Stolzmann and Hendrickson were living together in the early 1990s, while they were both married to other people. The relationship was stormy, with a pattern of alcohol and domestic abuse, he said.
Stolzmann was present when Hendrickson shot himself in January 1992. Yerges said Hendrickson's family blamed her for his death and she was not invited to his services.
``I feel that her motive was spite,'' Yerges said.
Robbing graves is a felony offense, but the six-year statute of limitations has passed for prosecution. There may be a way to prosecute because the alleged theft was only recently discovered, Yerges said.
"There are more old drunks than there are old doctors"..Willie Nelson & George Jones.
Should have buried him with a check for the beer and cigs.
If this woman keeps her mouth shut, she won't be prosecuted for anything.
Probably too poor to afford a lawyer.
Is 12-year-old beer really worth the effort?
typical democrats, nothing is sacred to someone willing to dig up the dead out of spite. when will these liberals learn??
She and her dead boyfriend are probably voting for Kerry.
??? Where did you see anything about a political affiliation?
Let me get this straight...the woman robbed the grave over ten years ago and the guy's family just found out recently?!! Sounds like he had quite a caring family /saracasm.
I guess if she had poured the beer on his ashes, then the family could say that this was out of spite.
I'd walk a mile for a Camel, but this is extreme.
The more likely scenario is that she stole the contents of the crypt soon after the service and it was only now discovered. Likely, someone saw the urn and got nosy.
Suicidal, dead, forgotten, sounds like a "Rat to me.
But I'm sure he got his absentee ballot in on time to vote for Kerry.
Yes, Mr. Albert Einstein and Mme. Marie Curie, two geniuses!
Also found in the garage was an absentee ballot signed by Hendrickson that indicated he wanted to vote for John F. Kerry for President in 2004...
You're right - I didn't read carefully enough. Either way, though, chances are it wasn't exactly the most "premium" of beers, and still not worth the effort of digging it up!
GMTA
His will count, because unlike our soldiers, it will be received on time...
OTOH, if you did wake up as a zombie, wouldn't you want to have a beer nearby?
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