Man accused of taking items from Christmas crash victim's casket
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State police arrested a man accused of stealing items during a memorial service Monday evening from the casket of a 17-year-old boy killed in a Christmas Day crash.
The family of Bradley McCombs Jr., of Clymer, Indiana County, told police that Jody Bennett, 37, of Pine Township, Indiana County, took a Game Boy, a Game Boy Light and three games from the open casket during the public visitation at the Rairigh Funeral Home in Montgomery, Indiana County.
Police are charging Mr. Bennett with vandalism, theft, harassment, disorderly conduct and abuse of a corpse. He was arraigned around 1:15 p.m. today and is being held on $15,000 bail.
Police said Mr. Bennett fled after Bradley's family members confronted him.
The Bennetts are family friends with the McCombses and have known each other for many years. Mr. Bennett's aunt, Dianna Bennett, said that Bradley McCombs Sr. posted a message on his Facebook page that "he should have been grieving and something to the effect that Jody Bennett had stolen from his son's casket."
He said he couldn't grieve his son's death because he was too angry, she said.
Ms. Bennett was not at the funeral home on Monday, but heard about it after arriving home from work Monday night.
"I still cannot believe anyone would do anything like this," she said.
Mr. Bennett has a history of alcohol and drug-related charges.
"He even had a brother killed when he was drinking and driving," Ms. Bennett said. "You think that would make him think, but I don't know."
First Published December 29, 2010 8:19 am
