Old man, disguised as a woman, arrested for placing dead animals on ex-neighbor’s grave
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A 78-year-old man was arrested for allegedly placing dead animal carcasses on top of his former neighbor’s grave, which he tried to do incognito by dressing up as a woman.
Joseph Alan Stroud faced a class B felony charge last week in Arkansas, United States, for “defacing objects of public respect,” as per local newspaper Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Aug. 12. He has since been released on citation.
Around 16 dead animals have been removed from the grave, which has since sustained damages that are irreparable. Replacing the tombstone will meanwhile cost $2,529 (around P123,000).
Shannon Nobles reported the incident to police after finding dead animals on the grave of her grandfather, Fred Allen McKinney, who died on Aug. 24, 2015.
Her family first thought the animals, which started appearing on May 31, have been dying by eating the fake flowers on the said grave, according to the report citing a probable cause affidavit.
Article continues after this advertisementThey continued to find carcasses, however, and realized that someone must have been putting them there intentionally, which is why they placed cameras on the headstone.
Article continues after this advertisementThe cameras eventually captured a man wearing a teal and white woman’s jacket, sunglasses and a woman’s wig, placing a dead animal on the grave.
Nobles, one day, was passing by the cemetery when she noticed a gray Dodge Journey car leaving the area and she decided to follow it, the report stated. She then took photos and video footage of the car when it eventually stopped at a parking lot.
The granddaughter noted in the affidavit that she recognized the driver as Stroud, her grandparents’ former acquaintance who had a neighboring farm with them. Nobles also said that she thinks Stroud lost in a lawsuit between the two families before.
The footage caught by the cameras placed by Nobles’ family also showed that the suspect was driving a gray Dodge Journey, the same model as Stroud’s, as per NBC-affiliate KNWA on Aug. 14.
Citing the same affidavit, the report noted that Nobles on another day saw Stroud leave the cemetery in the said vehicle, prompting her to check her grandfather’s grave immediately.
Nobles then found a dead possum lying on top of the grave and eight live babies placed inside a flower vase. She then reported the incident to police, who checked surveillance footage from a school in front of the cemetery.
After studying the footage taken with the said school cameras, Nobles’ cameras placed on the cemetery and the photos she took at the parking lot, police found out that the suspect was wearing several items of clothing the same as Stroud.
Despite being arrested for the felony, Stroud has yet to admit the deed and was quoted telling the police, “No I’m not going to tell you it was me because it wasn’t.” Ian Biong/JB
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