2 men arrested for allegedly stealing military veterans' remains, using them in 'religious practices [View all]

2 men arrested for allegedly stealing military veterans' remains, using them in 'religious practices'

https://abcnews.go.com/US/men-arrested-allegedly-stealing-military-veterans-remains-religious/story?id=75174590

They said they needed remains from those who have “done something heroic.”
ByJon Haworth
January 11, 2021, 6:48 AM



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Investigators collected items that were left behind – including cigar butts – and sent those items off for DNA testing, which authorities say they matched with Brian Montalvo Tolentino, 43, of Davenport, Florida.

“Lake [County] detectives then met with and interviewed Tolentino, during which he confessed to going to the cemetery with another individual, 39-year-old Juan Burgos-Lopez … and committing the crimes,” said Lake County Sheriff’s Office in a statement released on Jan. 7 after contacting the Polk County Sheriff’s Office whose detectives obtained a search warrant for the suspects. “Tolentino stated that Lopez used a crowbar to open the vaults and then removed the heads of the deceased. He stated they removed four heads from the four graves and then returned to Lopez’s residence. He stated the heads were taken for religious practices.”

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According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the suspects told detectives that they were using the human remains in their religious practice called Palo Mayombe -- a religion that developed in during the slavery era in Cuba among enslaved African people and their descendants, according to Lonely Planet -- and that they robbed graves of veterans because they needed remains from those who have “done something heroic.”

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“During the search, detectives located a total of six skulls, a hand, partial arm, and multiple other large bones within what appeared to be some sort of religious shrine,” the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Lopez identified four skulls as being those obtained from the Edgewood Cemetery and stated the other two skulls were obtained from other practitioners. He also had an additional skull that he claimed was fake.”

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