Police Blotter: Funeral Party Finds Body Already In The Grave

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

A local funeral director told police he had an unsettling experience following his wife's funeral.

Reuben Lawrence said the funeral was held for wife, DeBarbara Lawrence, then the funeral party proceeded to the Forest Hills Cemetery in St. Elmo.

He said it was then discovered that a body had been placed in the grave intended for his wife.

Mr. Lawrence said by mistake an earlier funeral party had been directed to his wife's grave instead of the correct grave.

The cemetery assured those involved it would take care of the problem.

* * *

A man on Gillespie Road said he saw a black male in his 30s trying to break into his home while he was inside.

He said the man pulled screens off two windows and then broke one of the windows. But a washing machine blocked his way inside.

The burglar then broke the second window. But then he was confronted by the homeowner, and he ran off.

* * *

Samuel Francis of Prosperity Lane said he received a call from his alarm company. He arrived home and saw that the front door had been kicked in.

The burglar took a Dell laptop computer from off a TV tray.

* * *

On Anderson Avenue, Banitia Walker said her boyfriend, Edward White, hit her in the face and choked her. She said he also pointed a shotgun at her.

Police said she had bruises around her neck and her face was swollen. A shotgun was found lying in the yard.

White was located under the house, where he tried to hide. He was hauled off to jail.

* * *

Alicia Towns said she got home from a trip to Wal-Mart in Lookout Valley and discovered she did not have her purse. She said about $600 had been in it.

She immediately returned to the store and was told that the purse had been taken to lost and found. It no longer had any cash inside.

A video showed someone in lost and found taking the money from the purse. The suspect confessed to the theft, went to her car and retrieved $540.

The suspect, who was not named in the police report, was charged with theft over $500.

* * *

Eula Nolan said she went to the restroom at the Shogun Japanese Steak House and Sushi on Gunbarrel Road.

She said she had two diamonds with her in a cloth bag. She dropped the bag in a bathroom stall and left without it.

Ms. Nolan said when she returned to the bathroom she discovered that the diamonds - worth $20,000 - were gone.

* * *

A front window was knocked out of the Malibu Lounge on MLK Boulevard.

The owner said four cases of beer and a jam box were taken.

* * *

Rosie Russell said she went out to start her 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. She went back inside to get a dish to take to work.

She looked out to see a black male about 17 or 18 walking past. He was wearing a white shirt with blue markings.

He took off in her car.

The vehicle and the youth in the white shirt with blue markings were next spotted at the gym at Brainerd High School.

Herbert "Book" McCray, assistant principal, said the youth stopped by to talk with him. Police learned his identity and called his mother, who told officers they needed to arrest him.

They found him at another address and took him to the Juvenile Detention Center. He was charged with theft over $1,000.


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