Sheriff arrests 4 in pioneer cemetery vandalism

Summary

Police recovered two stolen headstones and arrested three young men and a young woman after media coverage of vandalism at a pioneer cemetery prompted numerous tips from the public. Some of the gravestones had been turned into a fire pit.

Story Published: Oct 22, 2009 at 9:48 AM PDT

Sheriff arrests 4 in pioneer cemetery vandalism

Jay Allan Wabel
Matthew Scott Perritt
Joseph Bangs
Katie Marie Dezeeuw
EUGENE, Ore. -- Police recovered two stolen headstones and arrested three young men and a young woman after media coverage of vandalism at a pioneer cemetery prompted numerous tips from the public.

PHOTO GALLERY: Vandalism at Luper Cemetery

Vandals wrecked the Luper Cemetery in the River Road/Santa Clara neighborhood sometime before Oct. 12, when volunteers discovered numerous beer cans and broken headstones.

Some of the gravestones had been turned into a fire pit.

The Lane County Sheriff's Office said media coverage of the incident prompted calls from the public.

Tips led investigators to recover two stolen headstones and develop information about who might have caused the damage.

On Wednesday, law enforcement located the three suspects in the Roseburg area. Officers arrested:

  • Jay Allan Wabel, 18, of Castle Rock, Wash.
     
  • Joseph Christopher Bangs, 19, of Castle Rock, Wash.
     
  • Matthew Scott Perritt, 18, of Eugene, Ore.

On Thursday morning, the sheriff arrested Katie Marie Dezeeuw, 18, at her Eugene home.

All four suspects face charges of first degree theft, first degree criminal mischief, second degree criminal trespass, abuse of a memorial to the dead and tampering with evidence.

All four suspects were in the Lane County Jail as of Thursday morning.

POLL: Spell check and writing test

Should Oregon allow public school students taking a statewide writing test to use spell check?
Learn more and share your thoughts

  • Yes, writing is about more than spelling
  • No, especially if spelling will be used to evaluate the tests
  • Undecided
  • Who cares?

Powered by Estately