Suspect arrested for damaging St. James Catholic Cemetery headstones

A Gonzales man has been arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse for damages he is accused of causing at Gonzales cemetery.

Lt. Jason Montoya of the Gonzales Police Department reported to the Inquirer that at about 10:10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, officers received a call regarding an incident at the Saint James Catholic Cemetery at the corner of Seydler and Saint Andrew streets. Officers arrived and met with the complainant, who reported their deceased family member’s gravestone had been knocked down and damaged, as well as multiple others.

Montoya said officers located evidence at the scene and surveillance footage that led them to the vehicle believed to have been used to cause the damage at the cemetery. Upon locating the vehicle, officers observed that it had damage matching the evidence collected at the scene.

A warrant was obtained for a charge of abuse of a corpse, a state jail felony punishable by six months to two years in a state jail facility and a fine of up to $10,000. Officers then located and arrested Luis Maldonado, 20, Gonzales, without incident and transported him to the Gonzales County Jail, where he remains awaiting bond.