Two men have been arrested after stealing remains of military veterans from a cemetery in Florida that they subsequently used for “religious practices.”
2 Florida men arrested for desecrating graves, stealing human remains
POLK COUNTY, FL (WFOR) Two Florida men are now in jail for allegedly desecrating graves and stealing human remains, three of which belong to military veterans.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a positive DNA hit from a smoked cigar left behind during the crimes, positively identified the first suspect as Brian Montalvo Tolentino, 43 of Davenport, Florida. He identified his accomplice, Juan Burgos-Lopez, 39, of Lake Wales, Florida, according to police.
The thefts took place on December 6, 2020, from four graves at the Edgewood Cemetery in Mount Dora.
When Polk County detectives served a search warrant at Burgos-Lopez’s home, they found a shed with a religious shrine, and seven skulls, four of which both suspects admitted to taking from graves in Mount Dora. Two other skulls were determined to be fake, and the investigation is ongoing as to the identity of the last skull.
The men said that they took the skulls to use in religious practices of Palo Mayombe, an African-Caribbean religion related to Santeria, according to the authorities.
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Authorities have arrested two Florida men for stealing the remains of veterans from a local cemetery for ritualistic purposes, according to reports.
Brian Montalvo Tolentino, 43, of Davenport and Juan Burgos Lopez, 39, of Lake Wales were arrested in connection to remains missing from vaults at Mount Dora’s Edgewood Cemetery, Lake County authorities said.
The men were charged with four counts of disturbing the contents of a grave and four counts of abuse of a dead human body. Brian Tolentino. (Polk County Sheriff s Office)
Three of the four tombs raided in early December belonged to members of the armed forces. Two were Army combat veterans who served in World War I and the Korean War. The other was a Marine who served as a military police officer.
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POLK COUNTY, Fla. Authorities have arrested two Florida men for stealing the remains of veterans from a local cemetery for ritualistic purposes, according to reports.
Brian Montalvo Tolentino, 43, of Davenport and Juan Burgos Lopez, 39, of Lake Wales were arrested in connection to remains missing from vaults at Mount Dora’s Edgewood Cemetery, Lake County authorities said.
The men were charged with four counts of disturbing the contents of a grave and four counts of abuse of a dead human body, Bay News 9 reported.
Brian Tolentino. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
Three of the four tombs raided in early December belonged to members of the armed forces. Two were Army combat veterans who served in World War I and the Korean War. The other was a Marine who served as a military police officer, Fox News reported.