Cousins charged with felonies in Holy Hill vandalism (older one expresses no regrets)

Journal Sentinel ^ | June 9, 2006 | TOM KERTSCHER

[NYer]

Vandalism at Holy Hill

Photo/AP

Vandals spray painted Hell on a sign at Holy Hill in the Town of Erin. Vandals struck either late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Photo/Tom Lynn

Red spray paint covers Jesus Christ in the 12th Station of the Cross on Wednesday at Holy Hill. At another station, the eyes on the statues of Christs mother, Mary, and two other figures were painted red.

Quotable

I was just angry that someone would do that. After Mass, I settled down.

- Richard Kontny,
Neosho man who discovered vandalism at Holy Hill

Photo/Tom Lynn

Efrain Martinez (right) and Brad Crowley of Servpro sandblast graffiti off an entrance to the church at Holy Hill. The total cost to remove the vandalism at more than a dozen sites at the shrine was unknown Wednesday.

Vandalized Shrine

Graphic/Journal Sentinel

Click to enlarge

[NYer]

Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan will celebrate Mass at the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, on Saturday, June 10, at 4:30 p.m.

Archbishop Dolan's visit comes days after the historic grounds of the shrine were desecrated. Restorative work has begun on the vandalized areas.

"With the rest of our community, I am shocked and saddened by the outrageous acts of sacrilege at the Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians on Holy Hill," said Archbishop Dolan. "For over a century, Holy Hill has been a sacred site for prayer, reconciliation, love, mercy, healing, and the lifting up of mind and heart to Jesus through His Mother. Tuesday it became for a moment a site of hate, evil, sin, and darkness. This shows us that bigotry, hatred of Christ and His Church, sin, and Satan are still very much with us. It also reminds us that 'the gates of hell will not prevail.' I will go on pilgrimage Saturday afternoon and offer Mass in reparation for these offenses, and pray in gratitude for the holiness and grace that will continue to flow from this Holy Hill from Jesus and Mary."

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[Tax-chick]

Tyler Groth was arrested on the Holy Hill grounds on Wednesday, as he and his cousin showed four friends the vandalism from the night before

Of course. Evil and stupid. I hope they go to jail for as long as possible. These are the kind of people who might do anything.

[garyhope]

"Hail Satin"

Maybe he wants to be a gay "interior decorator".

[NYer]

Evil and stupid.

Dumb and even dumber ... returning to the scene of the crime to boast. They should be forced to clean up their mess.

[Tax-chick]

They have "the look." They're better off in jail, imo. Unfortunately, they'll probably walk because of their age, without even having to clean.

[cripplecreek]

"I'm a punk. It's what I do."

Sounds like a lost cause who needs to be dumped amid the general population at the nearest prison before he decides to do something else.

[raybbr]

It would be nice if, somewhere in the story, we could be told where this is.

[cripplecreek]

The Map shows it just north of Milwaukee.

[DB]

Normally yes, they should have been forced to clean it up.

But in this case, they would have likely caused even more damage trying to clean up.

As far as not being sorry, that should cost him dearly.

[MindBender26]

Appropriate sentences:

Appropriate sentences:

6 months for older punk, 2 months for younger.
Personally clean up the results of their vandalism. If already done by others, then other clean up work.
Costs to be borne by these two, or in the case of the juvenile, their parents (under some state law, this can be forced.)
No drivers licenses for 5 years, except to and from work. (Let them walk and remember)

[MindBender26]

Oh, charged as adult. 6 months each.

[vladimir998]

It's in southeastern Wisconsin, just outside of Milwaukee.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

I have the feeling that we'll see these fine boys' pictures in the newspaper again someday.

I pity their future victims.

Is flogging really and truly a cruel and unusual punishment? I'm having some doubts.

[libstripper]

For those of you who aren't in or from the Milwaukee, WI area, Holy Hill is an uniquely beautiful Catholic shrine and cathedral located about 35 miles north of Milwaukee on top of a 1,300 foot hill in the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest area. It's so striking beautiful that it attracts tourists and Christians of all denominations, including many Protestants. What was done was a horrible desecration. Even those of us who aren't Catholics should give our Catholic friends our sincere condolences for what happened.

[Liberty Valance]

"Hail Satin"

Stupid is as stupid does.

[libstripper]

Please see my post, no. 15. I lived in the Milwaukee area for almost 13 years before I moved to Knoxville, TN about 18 years ago.

[hellinahandcart]

"Hail Satin" alert. :D

[MediaMole]

From the look of these two, they are cousins, brothers, uncles and nephews, simultaneously.

[cripplecreek]

I have the feeling that we'll see these fine boys' pictures in the newspaper again someday.

I suspect you're right. I once had a cousin who did the same sort of crap in his youth. He never showed any remorse and the judges never showed any sense. My cousin is gone now. He broke into an old mans house and beat him to death with a baseball bat in his bed. My cousin was sentenced to natural life without parole.