Two men are accused of breaking into a mausoleum and stealing a police officer's ashes.
The ashes of former Jonesboro police officer Robert Peevey, who died in 2015 at age 43, were discovered missing from the mausoleum at the intersection of Loberg Lane and West Matthews Avenue by his father on Feb. 18, according to a report.
Jonesboro police received tips Thursday that Brandon Forrest Nelson, 21, and Brook Tailor Edwards, 22, broke into the mausoleum and stole dog tags, a badge and some ashes, the report said.
Nelson later said the two broke the glass over the monument, took the ashes, busted the box they were kept in and dumped them under a bridge off Gee Street, according to the report.
Edwards said he had nothing to do with the incident other than watching Nelson dump the ashes, according to police.
Police later found a bag containing some of the ashes submerged in water near the bridge, the report said.
Nelson and Edwards are charged with abuse of a corpse, defacing an object of public respect, property theft and breaking or entering, according to police.
They were being held Tuesday afternoon at the Craighead County jail in lieu of $25,000 bond each, records show. They are to appear in court March 30.
State Desk on 02/28/2018