Richard Boon, (Hall County Department of Corrections, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND — A man accused of stealing two urns from a mausoleum at the Grand Island City Cemetery pleaded guilty June 25 to felony burglary and felony prohibited acts with human skeletal remains or burial goods.
Richard Boon, 34, who is homeless, entered the plea June 25.
His sentencing will be at 10 a.m. Aug. 19.
According to a Grand Island Police Department probable cause statement, on May 23, police received a report of a burglary at the Grand Island Cemetery, 3168 W. Stolley Park Road. Officers determined that the padlock hasp of a mausoleum had been twisted by a tool until it broke.
Two urns, each containing human remains, and a decorative white floral vase were stolen from inside the mausoleum. The mausoleum was last seen untampered on May 17.
On May 27, officers were contacted by a store employee who saw the image of the urns on social media and recognized them as debris she had cleaned up in the store’s parking lot. Store employees provided officers with a photo of the damaged urns and a cremation identification tag recovered from the debris. A distinguishable vehicle could be seen in the photograph, a red 2003 Ford F150 pickup. Officers determined the vehicle was registered to Richard Boon.
Officers reviewed license plate reader photographs and observed the truck on May 20 with a vase-shaped object in the bed of the truck. The truck could be seen on May 17 with no similar object in the truck.
The truck was located near the intersection of 22nd and Oak Streets and towed due to a parking violation. Officers executed a search warrant on the truck. Officers found vice grips, a tool consistent with the one needed to forcibly enter the mausoleum, and a loose ashen substance throughout the cab and bed.
“The substance was verified as consistent with cremated human remains by mortuary affairs professionals,” the probable cause statement said.
Officers interviewed Boon. He confirmed he had the truck at the store on May 21 and parked the truck at 22nd and Oak streets. He denied any knowledge of the urns. Boon suggested someone had tampered with his vehicle. Officers refuted that through video surveillance.
