Grave robbers hit Iowa cemeteries: Trio arrested in cross-country theft spree

Three Indiana residents face felony charges after authorities say they broke into cemetery niches across the eastern half of the United States, stealing wedding rings, class rings, and other heirlooms from the cremated remains of loved ones. Iowa is among the states where the alleged crimes occurred, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Florida.

Drake Lee Milam, 33, and Angela Garrett, 52, were arrested in Indiana, while Porsche Bancroft, 32, turned herself in at Florida's Seminole County Jail. Bancroft is identified in court records as Milam's girlfriend and Garrett's daughter. Her arraignment is set for Sept. 22 in Sanford, Florida, with a trial scheduled for Feb. 8.

How did the alleged grave-robbing scheme work?

Mausoleum surveillance video appears to show the trio breaking into glass-front niches where urns of cremated remains and mementos are displayed, then removing items and walking out, authorities said.

Investigators have identified at least 20 cases in Florida alone, but the sheriff's office believes there could be many more victims who have not yet realized they were targeted.

“They've been everywhere from Oklahoma City to Minnesota to Texas [and] here in Florida,” an Orange County Sheriff's Office spokesman said. “They visited Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina, even so far northeast as to Buffalo, New York.”

The accused grave robbers also allegedly traveled through Illinois and New Jersey, the sheriff's office said.

What items were stolen from Iowa and other cemeteries?

Police reports list a variety of items with both sentimental and monetary value missing from cemeteries in Orange, Seminole, and Hillsborough counties in Florida, totaling $35,000 in valuables.

• A husband reported his late wife's niche missing their his-and-hers gold wedding rings and her Class of 1992 ring from Miami Southridge Senior High School, described as silver with a blue stone.
• A wife reported a ring given to her late husband for his 25th anniversary working for The Walt Disney Co.
• A father reported the theft of his daughter's 1972 class ring with a blue stone.
• A wife reported the theft of a 22-inch gold chain with a gold anchor from her husband's niche, noting it had been his wish to be interred with the jewelry.
• A family reported missing jewelry left with the remains of a beloved wife and mother, including a gold wedding band, two gold earrings, two gold rings, and a gold bracelet.
• A husband reported the theft of his wife's platinum-and-diamond wedding ring and a diamond solitaire engagement ring.
• The wife of the late Charles Taaffe, former offensive coordinator for the University of Central Florida football team, reported his two gold championship rings taken from his niche.

What charges do the accused face?

All three face a variety of charges, including injuring or removing a tomb or monument, disturbing the contents of a grave or tomb, and grand theft over $20,000, according to a spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Milam and Garrett will be extradited to Florida to face charges. Their court documents were not immediately accessible, a representative with the Seminole County Clerk of Court told Fox News Digital.

How can Iowans check if their loved ones' graves were targeted?

The sheriff's office is urging people nationwide, including in Iowa, to check their loved ones' burial sites to ensure cherished items are still there.

“Imagine losing your wife or husband and placing their wedding ring, and yours, in the niche, only to have them stolen by thieves looking for an easy payday,” the agency spokesman said. “This will not stand. Not in Florida.”

“Having a loved one's final resting place disturbed and cherished family heirlooms taken is deeply painful, and we recognize that no arrest can undo what these families have experienced,” a sheriff's office spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Detectives are working to identify more victims. Anyone with information or who believes they may be a victim is urged to contact Central Florida Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).

Fox News Digital attempted to contact all three defendants. Bancroft said her attorney would provide a statement, but it was not received before publication. Garrett and Milam did not respond.