According to reports, two men were arrested in Polk County, FL, after allegedly seeking out veteran burial sites to rob graves as part of a larger ritualistic ceremony because "the spirit is much stronger in a hero." Authorities arrested the men, 43-year-old Brian Montalvo Tolentino and 39-year-old Juan Burgos Lopez after they allegedly broke into four separate graves and took body parts from each person inside.
During a press conference on Friday, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said that detectives found a religious shrine featuring seven skulls at Lopez's home. “We serve lots of search warrants. But for the first time that I’m aware of. What we found was a Palo Mayombe shrine,” Judd said.
The gravesites that were desecrated by Lopez and Tolentino belonged to men who served in the armed forces. One of the bodies was still dressed in uniform during their cemetery raid. “When asked about why a hero’s grave, He (Lopez) said because the spirit is much stronger in a hero than it is a normal person,” said Judd. “And also when you have the skull of a hero, the spirit is not only stronger but it can protect you from evil.”
What's more, Lopez told investigators that he treats cemeteries as "shopping centers." Judd continued, “He considers the cemeteries shopping centers. We didn’t say that. He did,” adding, “He complained that in the United States, it’s difficult in getting human remains to practice his religion.”
Source: clickorlando.com
