The Oklahoma Eagle Newswire
After receiving several complaints of mismanagement and other actions involving the disturbance of grave sites at Crown Hill Cemetery, it was announced today that two Tulsa legislators will work with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s office in a joint investigation of the allegations.
“It has been brought to my attention that the trust placed in management by patrons of the cemetery has been violated and that desecration of burial sites has occurred. It’s extremely troubling to know that anyone could be capable of such blatant disregard for the final resting place of members of our community to include our war veterans.” said State Rep. Monroe Nichols, District 72, in response to evidence of unauthorized removal of head stones.
Joining the investigation is the office of Senator Kevin Matthews, District 11. “I am appalled to learn that head stones were actually removed and then left unaccounted for leaving families to search the grounds trying to locate burial sites and the whereabouts of these monuments.” said Matthews. “No one seems to know how or why this has happened but be assured, we will work with authorities to determine who is responsible and to be certain that no other violations of burial contract agreements have occurred.”
In 2014, the cemetery changed ownership but complaints persist since the time Aric White purchased at auction Crown Hill Cemetery, 4301 E. 66th St. N., Tulsa, OK. One year ago, the Oklahoma Eagle Newspaper reported that a group of concerned citizens, led by retired Oklahoma Senator Maxine Horner, met with Commissioner John Smaligo on June 16th, 2017 to address the concerns and problems that seem to grow worse from day-to-day. Although Crown Hill is in the Commissioner’s district, he had no governance over the location, but was just as concerned as all involved when it came to Crown Hill, the paper reported.
The issues raised in 2017 had to do with violations of perpetual care agreements and poor overall management. For example, a body was attempted to be buried in a site already occupied and many existing graves had been allowed to sink.
Oklahoma has in statute an option for a cemetery to establish a board with fund raising capabilities so that maintenance accounts can be established, insuring that resources remain available for perpetual care. Follow the link to access the Perpetual Care Law: https://www.ok.gov/oid/documents/sb2042_enr.pdf .
On the 30th of May, 2018, a mother went to Crown Hill to the area in the cemetery where her infant son had been laid to rest some 60 years ago. Shocked to find her baby’s head stone gone, along with many others, the mother frantically searched the site to no avail. A pile of head stones was later located by her grandson behind an outbuilding. In the pile, among the many stones, were the engraved markers of several veterans, along with the baby’s stone.
“Our investigation will reveal why the stones were removed and how the cemetery plans to make moral restitution to the families, many now left to question if plot locations are accurate and if their perpetual care agreements will be honored.”, pledged Rep. Nichols and Senator Matthews.
