Police: Delaware cemetery workers sold brass urns for scrap

Four workers at Sharon Hill Memorial Park Cemetery near Dover sold brass urns that were part of a headstone, according to police.

 

$354. That’s how much money the urns were sold for at the Dover Scrap Metal yard.

The cemetery manager, 59-year-old Ethel Melvin of Dover is accused along with three employees: Shaughn Graves, Lauri Larlham, and Donald Melvin, all from the Camden-Wyoming area of Kent County. 

Police say the workers sold the first urns for scrap on April 24, and made two more trips in May to sell more urns from the cemetery. During the sales, police say the employees signed documents indicating that the brass urns were theirs to sell.

All four are facing charges including desecration, falsifying business records and theft. Graves, Larlham and Ethel Melvin have all been arraigned and released on bond. Police are still looking for Donald Melvin. Anyone with information on his whereabouts or on this case is asked to contact Cpl. S. Ballard of State Police Troop 3 at 302-697-4454.