LAS VEGAS, NV – A woman has been apprehended and charged after she was found guilty of stealing a casket, which still housed a body, from a funeral home in Las Vegas. According to the police report, Patricia Sierra, 47, claimed she didn’t recall the incident as she “blacked out” after consuming six beers.
In the early hours of August 27, the local police received a call that reported a body found in front of the Affordable Cremation & Burial Service funeral home, with the empty casket abandoned close by. Upon inspecting the scene, the responding officers discovered the body lying face down, feet encased in plastic bags, on the rocky front path of the property.
The deceased individual had been delivered to the funeral home a week earlier and had been viewed on August 26, just a day before the astonishing theft. Surveillance footage from the funeral home revealed a woman, later identified as Sierra, broke the front window to unlock the door and made several trips in and out of the facility, ultimately dragging the casket out through the front entrance.
Sierra was apprehended two days after the incident when she was recognized at a local convenience store. During her interaction with the police, she appeared regretful about the episode and attributed her actions to a substance abuse problem, which frequently caused her to black out. In a subsequent interview with a detective, she cited her blackout from drinking six beers as the reason for her inability to recall the burglary.
Sierra’s bail was set at $11,000. As of Wednesday, she remained in custody. A representative for the funeral home stated that they would withhold comment due to the ongoing investigation.