Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal Widens, Closed to the Public as More Bones Found

The scandal widens as Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart declared all of Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, a crime scene last night after more remains and altered grave sites were found in a second part of the cemetery. Four cemetery workers have been charged, thus far, with digging up hundreds of graves and reselling the plots. Authorities have said that the bodies were dumped into at least one mass grave as part of a scam that netted the workers about $300,000. The cops were alerted after the cemetery owner, Perpetua Inc, expressed concern about shady financial dealings at the site. This is unconscionable and disturbing on so many levels.

“It has become abundantly clear to us that this crime scene is going to continue to grow,” Dart said. “We do not have an end in sight.”

The newly discovered remains were found in the southern part of the cemetery near 127th Street. But missing or fake paperwork kept by cemetery workers will make it difficult to determine how many graves may have been disturbed.

Asked if the number of affected graves would exceed his estimate Thursday of 300, Dart said: “I would be shocked if it doesn’t change the number,” he said. “It’s becoming clear there are potential crime scenes littered throughout the cemetery.” Source: Chicago Sun Times

Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes said Friday he has begun license-revocation proceedings against Perpetua Holdings Inc., the owner of the cemetery.

Cemetery general manager Carolyn Towns, foreman Keith Nicks, Terrence Nicks and Maurice Dailey have each been charged with one count of dismembering a human body, which is a Class X felony. Authorities said they also issued an arrest warrant for another woman who was a secretary at Burr Oak. She was never charged in the scam because police determined that she was only acting on orders from Carolyn.

Police suspect that the four were able to get away with their plot because families of the deceased often purchase graves with cash. After Carolyn took the money she would dispose of the deeds for already occupied graves. Carolyn is being held on a $250,000 bond. The other four suspects were ordered to be held on $200,000 bond. They could each face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. They should all be denied bond and should rot in jail for the rest of their lives.

This is a tragedy on so many levels. Burr Oak is one of the nation’s first Black cemeteries and historical figures like Emmett Till and Dinah Washington are interred there.