Two men in Missouri have been charged after allegedly attempting to dig up a grave at Washinton Park Cemetery in Berkeley. Jimmie V. Allen and Zebulun Nash, both 73 years old, were caught shoveling dirt out of a gravesite in August, according to reports from KSDK-TV. Nash admitted to planning to relocate his grandmother’s body, and Allen was assisting him. However, Missouri law requires a state order to exhume a body, leading to both men being charged with attempting to destroy or deface cemetery property.
The incident has shocked local residents, with witness Kiesha Wayne expressing sympathy for the man whose loved one is buried in the affected grave. Meanwhile, Berkeley Police Chief Art Jackson, who has never encountered such a situation in his 29-year career, expressed his amazement at the incident. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney has been contacted for comment on the case.
Both Allen and Nash are scheduled to appear in court next month to face the charges brought against them.
