‘It Strikes A Chord In Everyone': Families Return To Check On Headstones After OKC Cemetery Vandalism

Outrage poured out of people at one Oklahoma City Cemetery. That’s after more than two dozen headstones were vandalized last weekend. The damage for families is both physical and emotional. 

“I miss him every day,” said Dale Withrow who lost his son Wesley Withrow in 1999. 

Cynthia Murchie and Withrow drove over from Wellston to see Dale’s son’s headstone.   

“It’s a tough thing,” said Tom Demuth, the Britton Cemetery manager 

Demuth said people are checking on their family members after what happened last weekend.  

“There was a woman in the cemetery turning over headstones," Demuth said. 

The evidence was left behind in the form of chipped granite from each swing of a hammer.   

“Honestly, it’s wrong,” Murchie said. 

Police arrested the suspect on Sunday. A neighbor caught Karina Escobar on video, and Demuth saw her himself and called the police. 

“I’m grateful for the person who did film her,” Withrow said. 

People at the cemetery have raised the fallen headstones.  

“We have to do what we can to fix it,” Demuth said. 

Demuth knows he can’t fix the emotional damage.  

“It strikes a chord in everyone,” Demuth said. 

There’s no price for what happened to Withrow’s son’s headstone.  

“That would be like trying to put a price on your soul," Withrow said. 

However, his son’s photo remains untouched. 

“That’s how I wanna remember him right there,” Withrow said. “That’s why I put that there.”  

Memories of people’s lives that should remain left alone to rest in peace.  

“This is a sacred place,” Demuth said. 

The Britton Cemetery is taking donations from anyone who would like to help with the damage caused last weekend.