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Vandals Wreak Havoc At Cemetery

News Channel 8 photo by PETER MASA

Michael Wick and Jerry Trabacca pick up pieces of tombstones Monday.

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By BAIRD HELGESON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 27, 2008

RIVERVIEW - Every day for nine years, Barbara and James Roush have visited Serenity Meadows Memorial Park, Funeral Home and Crematory to place an artificial flower on their daughter's grave.

About 9:30 a.m. Monday, a cemetery manager called to say vandals had overturned or crushed dozens of grave markers, including the memorial of flowers, lights and keepsakes the Roushes erected to remember their daughter, Kimberly, who died of cancer at 22.

"It's a disaster," James Roush said after surveying the damage. "It looks like a tornado went through there."

Two teenagers were arrested Monday night and charged with felony criminal mischief and damaging a tomb or gravestone. Trevor Len Moore, 14, of Riverview and Devyn Rae Cash, 15, of Tampa, are accused of overturning headstones, breaking a fountain and tearing down tents erected in preparation for the cemetery's traditional Memorial Day service, a Hillsborough County sheriff's spokesman said. The cemetery is at 6919 Providence Road.

Serenity Meadows president Mike Wick said that in neighboring Hackney Cemetery, 27 grave markers were pushed over or destroyed and four others were damaged.

Sheriff's office investigators estimated the damage at $50,000.

After reviewing a surveillance video from Sunday night that shows two people in the cemetery, detectives were able to track the teenagers down to Moore's home. Moore and Cash were taken to the juvenile assessment center. They told detectives they vandalized the cemetery for fun, a spokesman said.

If that's the case, Wick said, "It's sad to think that so much heartbreak can result from two youngsters trying to relieve their boredom."

He said some of the headstones and monuments are beyond repair. Others will have to be sanded down and re-engraved. The vandals also demolished sculptures of angels and cherubs.

This isn't the first time vandals have hit Serenity Meadows.

In April, the funeral home posted a $500 reward for information about a stolen golf cart. Wick said there have been other incidences of headstones being overturned, but nothing of this magnitude.

Two weeks ago, someone kicked over two markers near his daughter's grave, said Roush, 71, and vandals have occasionally swiped a trinket or other memento.

"It's usually in the summertime, about the time the kids are out of school," Roush said. "But they've never trashed anything like this before."

Along with the huge bouquet of flowers, the Roushes had installed a bench with their names, statues of angels and about 10 solar lights to showcase the display.

"Now all of that is ruined," Roush said. "I don't know that we'll be able to salvage anything."

The family had spent more than $1,000 creating the display, he said.

Will they start over?

"Absolutely," he said. "I don't think you'll ever stop the vandalism, but we'll keep at it."

Wick said it is ironic that vandals would tarnish the memories of so many loved ones the day before the community hosted its largest celebration to honor those who died in war. While deputies investigated at the back of the cemetery, a record 500 residents turned out for Serenity Meadows' annual Memorial Day observance.

Reporters Susan M. Green and D'Ann White contributed to this report. Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at (813) 259-7668 or bhelgeson@tampatrib.com.

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