INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHER: Baltimore County Police Give Marauding Grave Robber a Home in the Slammer
BALTIMORE, MD. – When a man who has no address needed one after a fling of trespassing in Prince George’s County, he did what hobos have done for scores of years – he moved into a cemetery, chose a well-furbished Mausoleum, well-appointed with jewels and after valuables and made himself at home among the bones.
Baltimore County Police arrested a man after responding to a burglary call at Gardens of Faith Memorial Gardens located at 5598 Trumps Mill Rd, Baltimore, Md.
The property manager called police at 2:20 p.m. on March 5, 2020, after the man broke into a mausoleum and was seen shattering glass display cases containing urns and memorabilia.
Who says you can’t take it with you!
Police say that the intruder stole jewelry and other items that had been left in the display cases, then destroyed the urns containing the ashes of the deceased. He used a fire extinguisher to destroy a number of marble tombstone vaults containing human remains and discharged the fire extinguisher around the mausoleum.
The alleged graverobber, identified as Emanuel Eric Padilla, 22, (DOB 02/22/1998) of the third boxcar on the midnight train from Washington (a hobo), fled toward Kenwood Avenue where responding officers located him and placed him under arrest.
Police say that they found jewelry and other memorabilia taken from the mausoleum in possession of the marauding Padilla.
Cemetery officials estimate the destruction and theft value at over $50,000.
The Baltimore County Police Burglary Unit is continuing the investigation into this case and report that they will be working with cemetery personnel to identify and return the stolen property to the families affected by this incident as quickly as possible.
Padilla was arrested by Prince Georges Police Officer Killian on Feb. 26, 2020 in Hyattsville, Md., and charged with trespass on private property and the favorite charge of hobos everywhere – rogue and vagabond. Should Baltimore officials deem to release Padilla, he has a court date in PG District Court on April 15, 2020 – the same day his federal income taxes are due.
Padilla remains in custody in the Baltimore County Jail, charged with the following:
- Second-degree burglary
- Fourth-degree burglary
- Destruction of property
- Theft
- Removing human remains
- Destroying funerary object