The Washington Post
By Lisa Rein
Published: July 14, 2015
Authorities suspect that Maynard had been taking the headstones from a secured area on cemetery grounds since 2009, a few stones at a time.
Gravesite headstones line the carport near the Charlestown, R.I., home of Kevin Maynard, a former Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery worker who authorities say stole more than 150 headstones.
U. S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND
When headstones on the graves of fallen servicemen crack or fade with age, they're hauled away to be honorably destroyed. Then the Department of Veterans Affairs replaces them.
But at veterans' cemetery in Rhode Island, an employee who was supposed to be taking care of the graves pillaged more than 150 granite headstones, many of them still inscribed with the names of the veterans. Then he took the markers home to build a floor for his carport.
When investigators arrived at Kevin Maynard's house in Charlestown, R.I., this spring, they came upon an eerie scene, according to a federal affidavit: The grave markers, most with the inscriptions face down, were serving as the foundation for two makeshift carports held up by aluminum poles and plastic tarps.
In one carport, Maynard's red, late-model Ford truck was parked on top of the stones. The rest were scattered about the property. On one, the inscription honoring a World War II veteran and his wife were intact: ROMEO J A PELLETIER TEC4 US ARMY WORLD WAR II JUL 5 1919 JUN 21 2011 HIS WIFE GRACE JOYCE OCT 3 1925 JAN 23 1991
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UPDATE that will frost your cookies
Prosecutors: VA supervisor took $1.2M in kickbacks; employee stole gravestones
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