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Cemetery vandalized, grave stones excavated [UPDATED]
Published 10:52am Monday, December 10, 2012 Updated 12:53pm Monday, December 10, 2012A private family cemetery near Herman was allegedly vandalized recently, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the excavating of several grave markers that had been buried in a hole at the site.
On Nov. 20, the Sheriff’s Office received reports that trees and headstones had been pushed into a hole and buried in the cemetery.
A search warrant was executed the following day and it was found that trees had been removed and several pieces of grave markers were found on top of the ground.
On Nov. 29, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office executed another search warrant to excavate a hole where possible evidence was buried. The excavation process took two days, and when the digging was finished the hole was 40 feet wide, 80 feet long and 15 feet deep.
The dig revealed several grave markers bearing the names of family members buried at the location. No human bones were found, and the Sheriff’s Office reportedly hopes no graves were disturbed in the process.
A state archeologist will look at the site in the spring to attempt to find the exact location of the graves. The markers recovered have been kept for evidence, and the case will be sent to the Grant County Attorney’s Office.
The last burial at the cemetery occurred in 1892.
