Vase Allegedly Stolen from Former U.S. Marine's Grave

By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

DEL CITY, Oklahoma -- Several metro families who went to visit the graves of their deceased loved ones this Memorial Day got quite a surprise. The graves had been reportedly vandalized. And now they're left wondering who would commit such a callous act.

This happened sometime over the weekend. Cemetery workers say at least five graves were vandalized including one belonging to a military veteran.

Earl Johnson was a U.S. Marine; he was also husband and a father who died young at age 31.

"He was an avid outdoors guy," said Earl Johnson's daughter, Crystal Johnson. "He had lots of friends, he coached little league."

For more than 40 years Earl Johnson's grave has sat undisturbed in the Sunny Lane Cemetery until this past weekend. A bronze vase attached to his marker was removed, the flowers inside, tossed on the ground.

"You're just enraged," said Crystal Johnson. "You feel like your precious loved one has been molested, or raped, or robbed and there isn't anything you can do about it."

Crystal Johnson says the vase was there Friday afternoon when her brother visited the grave, so it was probably stolen sometime late Friday evening or early Saturday morning.

Cemetery management says they are just as upset with the thefts.

"It's something that really makes us very sad to think that someone would take the time to come into a cemetery, a place of reverence, a place of respect and do something like this," Manager of Sunny Lane Cemetery, Jeremy Sparks said.

Sparks says the same thing happened several years ago, people looking for scrap metal took some of the vases.

With such a large cemetery he says there's not a lot that can be done to stop people from coming on to the property.

"Obviously cemeteries are very open, we don't want to restrict family or friends from being able to come and pay their respect, and spend their time," Sparks said.

Those vases cost just more than $300 each. But the cemetery says they will cut that price in half if the families want to replace them.

"I'd almost rather have the vase back than getting a new one," Crystal Johnson said.

Desecrating a grave could lead to a felony charge.