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Cook County Prosecutors Bring New Charges
in Burr Oak Cemetery Investigation

A Cook County Grand Jury has returned a multiple count indictment that expands charges against the four individuals originally charged with the removal and desecration of human remains at the Burr Oak Cemetery in southwest suburban Alsip, according to the Office of State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Prosecutors presented a seven-count grand jury indictment in court today against Carolyn Towns, 49, of Chicago, who worked as the cemetery manager; and grave diggers Maurice Daily, 59, of Robbins; Keith Nicks, 45, of Chicago; and Terrence Nicks, 39, of Chicago.

The four were initially charged July 9 with Dismembering a Human Body, a Class X felony. In addition to that charge, today’s indictment includes the following charges against all four of the defendants:

· Two counts of Theft ($100,000 to $500,000) · Removal of a Gravestone or Marker · Desecration of Human Remains · Removal of Remains of multiple Deceased Human Beings from a Burial Ground · Conspiracy to Dismember multiple Human Bodies

The four are alleged to have participated in an ongoing conspiracy between September of 2003 and July 8 of 2009 in which they are accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and desecrating loved ones brought by families to Burr Oak for burial, according to prosecutors.

The four are alleged to have participated in a scheme in which they dug up, destroyed and in many cases relocated the remains of deceased persons buried at the cemetery, according to prosecutors. The scheme would involve the overselling of burial plots where bodies were already buried. In many cases the grave diggers would also dig up an existing plot, crushing or damaging the existing vault or casket containing human remains, and dumping the remains in the back of the cemetery in an area commonly used for dumping dirt and garbage, according to prosecutors.

In other cases the defendants would “double stack” graves, a practice referred by Burr Oak employees as creating “bogus graves.” This practice involved the removal of previously buried vaults, which were then set off to the side. The defendants would then dig the grave deeper, replace the previously removed vault back in the hole, cover it with dirt and prepare the space for a new burial to be placed on top of it.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Bureau is handling the prosecution of the cases and the ongoing criminal investigation. The four defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on August 26, 2009.

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