John Jefferson
Background: Surveillance footage allegedly shows a woman stealing a casket (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police/KVVU). Inset: Patricia Sierra (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police/KVVU).
A woman was arrested in Nevada after allegedly stealing a casket containing a body from a funeral home — and then dumping the body in front of that funeral home before leaving.
Patricia Sierra, 47, faces charges of grand larceny, burglary of a business, and removing, transferring, or disturbing human remains, Clark County records show. On Aug. 27, she allegedly went into Affordable Cremation and Burial Services in Las Vegas by breaking in through a front window and unlocking the front door, local Fox affiliate KVVU reported.
Surveillance footage obtained by the station appears to show someone breaking the front window and coming into the business, walking into the viewing room, grabbing the casket and bringing it out the front door. Citing police records, KVVU reported that Sierra went in and out of the business multiple times before eventually leaving.
At around 3:30 a.m., someone spotted the casket outside of Affordable Cremation and Burial Services — and a body lying face down next to it, KVVU reported. Paperwork found next to the body showed that the viewing for the victim had been the day before, police said.
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Local CBS affiliate KLAS reported, citing the police report, that there were “flower petals on the floor leading out the door.” Nothing else in the building was believed to have been damaged.
The deceased person arrived at the funeral home on Aug. 20, KLAS also reported.
In an interview with police, Sierra reportedly said she had a substance abuse problem and “blacks out.” She told police that she didn’t remember the incident but admitted she had burglarized a business before by using a rock to break in through the window or the door, KVVU reported.
“[S]he was not trying to be malicious and was apologetic,” the police report said, according to KVVU. She later reportedly said she drank six beers.
Sierra was arrested on Aug. 30, the sheriff’s office records show. According to court records, Sierra’s bail was set at $11,000 and she has a hearing scheduled for Sept. 18.
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