Kevin Maynard, headstone thief pleads guilty
Kevin Maynard, an employee at Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery pleaded guilty to filching headstones that he used to pave his garage and some outbuildings. The stones were scheduled to be destroyed, but Mister Maynard saw no problem with putting the 202 stones to his own use.
Maynard has taken the plea agreement in exchange for a sentencing recommendation of one year’s probation and 500 hours of community service, according to Rhode Island district court documents filed June 30.
[…]
Maynard, who has since resigned, had been a state employee with the cemetery since 2006, Jolin said. Officials suspect Maynard had been taking the headstones — set to be picked up by the Veterans Affairs Department to be destroyed — from a secured area on cemetery grounds since 2009.
Jolin said the VA supplies the grave markers, worth about $600 each, free to the cemetery.
So that was only about $121k – it looks like Maynard got off pretty easy.
Category: Shitbags
Instead of destroying them, why not start a memorial wall? Or tell the relatives they can have the grave markers if they want them? Do something useful with them instead of turning them into road gravel.
That is too reasonable, not allowed. Great idea though.
Word!
Did the VA not figure out they were missing when they came to collect them?
In upstate N.Y their was some grave yard vandalism this week. Including the destruction of a Medal of Honor recipient’s grave stone. The graveyard is right beside Suny Plattsburg’s campus’s. apparently it is a regular event.
I had no idea there was a time limit on veteran’s graves – or anyone’s for that matter. Why are they disposing of these? Is it somehow related to relatives no longer making payments or whatever on the gravesites since this isn’t a National Cemetary? Do they sell off the land and build houses on it? I’m being serious here. One of the big reasons I just want to be roasted and scattered when I’m done. In 50 years it would be AW1/SFC who? Unless they planted me in a golf course. That would be cool.
When I converted to Catholicism, one of the things about the faith that I took comfort from was the reverence with which they cared for the local Catholic cemetery. I thought, “at last, I’ve found a place I won’t be forgotten, that my remains will be treated with respect and kindness.” Sometime around 2004, I think, there was a big flap locally. A road was being put through the valley, and in digging ditches for culverts and the roadway itself, an old Catholic cemetery was dug up. There were only about four graves affected, but there were skeletal remains, as well as what was left of the graves themselves. What did the Diocese do? They got off their wallets, and relocated those remains to a current, active Catholic cemetery, right? WRONG. THE DIOCESE ORDERED THOSE REMAINS TO BE LEFT WHERE THEY WERE, AND PAVED OVER. It was that lack of concern for their dead that made me decide to be cremated when I die. What difference is there if I end up under a roadway or in the local landfill? Hallowed ground, my ass.
Who in the hell would want a driveway paved in gravestones in the first place?
(Son of Poltergeist)
Damien Thorn.
My new old back yard 1893 touches the town cemetery. In the old days people were burying their loved and not so loved ones wherever they wanted. This included what’s now my back yard. The town moved them at some point. The old timer next (WW2 3RD ID) door told don’t be surprised what turns up when planting some apple trees.
The False Commander Phil Monkress (CEO of All-Points Logistics) and Gunny Driveway.
A really cheap bastard.
I’m having a tough time getting angry about this one. For whatever reason the stones were to be destroyed, but were put to good use instead. He probably saved the government some money on disposal. There must be some good reason the police went after him, but it’s not clear above why.
I agree, somebody must have got jealous about not having cool pavers. That, or they were getting beat out of some money. State employees can be petty about stupid shit. I learned that working for a state university.
I don’t know Reaperman. Not completely disagreeing with you. There’s just something about a veteran’s headstone that touches me deeply. I understand they were to be destroyed anyway. But there should have been some solemnity to it. Kid’s skating or me changing my oil on them would just give me the creeps. Why did the guy not offer to buy them or haul them off for free instead of stealing them? I’m sure they could have come to some equitable terms. That is, unless the cemetery had more respect for the headstones than Maynard did.
I agree with you. At the very least some government agency could use them to build something in a park where they could still be viewed and somewhat maintained.
Being the government, ‘officially’ buying them or hauling them off for free was probably out of the question–that’d probably be interfering with somebody’s big fat disposal contract. Maybe that’s what they got him on.
I’d guess you’re right. No proof of pickup and disposal might mean no $$$ for the guy holding the contract. And with nothing to pick up, well, getting someone to sign off on “pickup and disposal” might be a bit difficult.
If he did the paving face down on the stones I’m just thinking he’s tasteless but not criminal for the paving. But outrage plus book value of the stones before disposal equals criminal charges. Losing the job was necessity though, he can’t be trusted.
I see no reason why 1/8″ could not be sawn from the face and reuse the marble for another headstone. THAT makes more sense than destroying the stones.
These were not grave markers that were taken from Veteran Graves.
There are many reasons that the grave markers would be stored.
Wrong information or misspelling.
Damaged and replaced.
Remains removed and buried elsewhere.
And so on.
This guy was more recycling without permission, Had the va picked them up they would have been destroyed.
Was what he did wrong? Yes, he got punishment to fit the crime.
What distasteful and disrespectful little prick. The military times article here: http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/crime/2015/07/07/202-veteran-headstones-stolen-cemetery-worker-guilty-plea/29818467/
Says the headstones were worn or needed replacing. Hence the VA taking them, much like worn colors, to be recycled/destroyed somewhat properly with a respectful brief ceremony. Now I’m not much into ghosts or spirits, but tempting the spirits of old ass bitter pissed off deceased veterans (think Green Thumb and friends as wandering spirits) by walking/driving over their headstones has a full on poltergeisting potential capable of tearing a hole in the space time continuum. Or at least Kevin Maynard’s ass-hole. Foverver… Shit man, not me. Too scared. ‘Ret out..