BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — A man is in custody in West Virginia after police say he stole a truck containing a grave vault from the Callaham Funeral Home in Inez.
The theft happened around 2:45 p.m. Saturday.
According to Martin County Sheriff John Kirk, Deputy J.C. Kirk was paroling on KY-292 south of Lovely and met the truck.
“When he met J.C., a lot of people get a little nervous when they meet a cop, and he cut across the yellow line. That got J.C.’s attention,” Sheriff Kirk said. “He cut back real quick and threw his hand up at J.C.”
About a mile down the road, the deputy noticed what he initially believed was a sofa dumped by the roadside.
“He turned around and went back, and it was a grave vault turned on its side,” said the sheriff.
The deputy immediately called the sheriff, saying someone might have stolen a funeral home truck with a grave vault.
Sheriff Kirk contacted Callaham Funeral Home director Kelly Callaham, who was unaware the truck was missing.
After reviewing the security video that showed the theft, Callaham’s staff provided the sheriff’s office with the suspect’s name.
Officers obtained a warrant for 24-year-old Marcus Thompson of Mingo County after learning that he was in West Virginia in the truck.
“We got some pretty sound information,” said Sheriff Kirk.
The truck was recovered Sunday evening in Varney, W.Va., where Thompson abandoned it and fled.
Early Monday morning, Delbarton residents John and Heather White’s German Shepherd dog alerted them to an intruder in their garage.
“He had broke in looking for stuff to steal. I’ve never really shared John’s love of trained German Shepherds, but this morning definitely changed my mind. Roxi will be getting steak for dinner tonight,” Heather White shared on Facebook.”
Mingo County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Thompson and transported him to the Southwestern Regional Jail in Holden.
Thompson is facing charges of burglary-1, battery of a police officer, fugitive from justice, trespassing and escape (felony).
