LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Nevada woman is accused of burglarizing a Las Vegas funeral home and removing a casket with a body inside it — dumping the remains in the process, according to documents obtained by NewsNation affiliate KLAS.
Patricia Sierra, 47, faces charges including grand larceny, burglary of a business and removing, transforming or disturbing human remains, documents said.
On Aug. 27 around 3 a.m., a person called police to report a body lying face down in front of the Affordable Cremation and Burial Service funeral home.
Police said the deceased person arrived at the facility Aug. 20 and had a viewing the day before the burglary.
Officers investigating the break-in noticed a door to the business was open. They entered the funeral home’s viewing room, noting there were “flower petals on the floor leading out the door,” documents said. Nothing else in the building was damaged.
Video surveillance from the business showed a woman, whom police later identified as Sierra, breaking a window and unlocking the funeral home’s front door, documents said. The video then shows Sierra walking to the viewing room and carrying the casket out the front door.
Police said the body in the casket ended up lying in landscaping in front of the business.
On Aug. 29, officers responded to a call that a person recognized Sierra at a convenience store on Valley View Boulevard near Sahara Avenue. While speaking with officers, Sierra reportedly said she did not remember the incident and said “she was not trying to be malicious and was apologetic,” documents said. Sierra later said she was the person in the surveillance video.
A judge set bail at $11,000. Sierra remained in custody as of Wednesday.
“There is an ongoing investigation, so we cannot comment, other than to say an individual was arrested after attempting to burglarize our location,” a representative for Affordable Cremation and Burial Service said.