The disgusting news from the Chicago Tribune:
Four people have been charged after authorities discovered that dozens of bodies had been dug up at the historic Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip and the grave sites illegally resold.
They will appear in Central Bond Court at 11:45 a.m.
Each was charged with one count of dismembering a human body, a Class X felony.
Detectives discovered a pile of bones — from more than 100 bodies — decomposed, above ground and uncovered in an overgrown, fenced-off portion of the cemetery, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said.
"What we found was beyond startling and revolting," the sheriff said.
As the Sheriff’s police continued working, distraught family members began showing up, looking for loved ones’ graves.
This is not just any cemetary:
One of the first predominantly African-American cemeteries in the area, Burr Oak is home to many historic figures, including Emmett Till, blues legend Dinah Washington and heavyweight boxing champion Ezzard Charles.
Dart said he was certain Till’s remains were not disturbed, but he could not ensure the preservation of the others.
"We cannot give people definitive answers at this point," he said, adding they were working with forensic medical examiners to try to identify the remains.
None of the remains had been removed from the site, said Steve Patterson, a sheriff’s spokesman. The state’s attorney’s office and FBI are also investigating, Dart said.
According to police, the accused probably took in around $300,000. The alleged scam has been going on for about about four years, according to police. According to Dart, other employees reported the alleged scam to the owners. Possible felony charges involve unearthing the dead, conspiracy and financial crimes, according to Dart.
I don’t even have a category for this one.