ASHLAND — Ashland police are investigating what could be one of the largest cemetery vandalism cases in the city’s history.
Suspects toppled 133 headstones, broke windows and wrecked a bronze military memorial at Ashland Cemetery during the early morning hours Wednesday.
Though exact numbers haven’t been determined, officials believe the damage could amount to anywhere from $80,000 to $120,000.
Ashland police Chief Dave Lay said investigators are chasing leads, but have no suspects as of Thursday.
Law enforcement has encouraged people with information to reach out to officer Leah Zeisler.
The vandalism appears to be random, said Tom Rupple, the cemetery’s superintendent.
“I actually thought it was a personal attack when I saw the broken glass at the building,” he said. “It wasn’t until I saw the headstones and then found a beer bottle at the entrance that I realized it was probably some guys getting liquored up and doing this for kicks and giggles.”
Rupple, who’s worked the grounds for roughly a decade, said he’s never seen vandalism like this.
“I mean, some of these stones are going to need a crane to put back up,” he said.
The majority of the granite and marble stones were sourced by Ashland Monument Co., said Sondra Hoffman, the company’s owner.
Monuments damaged or toppled include some from the 1800s to modern day. Some of them are made of sandstone or limestone.
“We’re in shock,” she said.
Hoffman’s husband, Don, is buried there. When she heard the news, she thought his headstone had been damaged. Hoffman said the company has seen its headstones and plaques damaged in the past.
“But not to this magnitude,” she said.
Some of the granite they use isn’t available anymore, said A.J. Hoffman, Sondra’s son. He works for the company. The quarry used to source the granite is no longer open, he said. Some of those headstones were carved by hand.
“To do that same amount of detail today is costly,” he said. That’s why he estimated the damage to be somewhere between $90,000 to $120,000.
Lay said ultimately the damage will need to be itemized, which will likely involve insurance companies. The final amount will determine the level of felony once police file charges.
Lay has been with the Ashland Police Division for 32 years. He’s seen vandalism at the cemetery before, but not to this extent, he said.
“The very fact it happened in a cemetery makes it a fifth-degree felony,” Lay said. “And that increases depending on the final value determined on the total damage. It can go up to a felony three.”
As of Thursday, no one had been charged. Lay declined to discuss what evidence police have collected so far. He also declined to describe what police have observed on video footage.
“We’re currently going through it,” he said of video footage. “The evaluation of that video evidence is still incomplete.”
He said investigators are knocking on doors in the surrounding area and asking property owners to review footage from doorbell cameras and other possible surveillance.
“Please report it if you think it could be useful for our investigation,” he said.
‘It’s not just a stone’
Adam Longstreth is a memorial counselor with Longstreth Memorials. The family-owned business, based in Mansfield, offers granite headstones and other memorial products. The company also helps older cemeteries with restoration.
Re-setting or re-sealing toppled headstones can be a few hundred dollars. But damaged headstones — chips, cracks and other blemishes — can lead to total replacement.
“A modern monument can be $3,000 to $8,000. But the older ones can be tens of thousands,” he said.
Longstreth Memorials played a big role in repairing 20-30 stones that were similarly vandalized at Mansfield Cemetery a few years ago. He said he will likely be involved again at Ashland Cemetery.
“It’s not just a stone. These are sacred places to grieve family members and find peace,” he said. “When something like this happens, it makes it harder to do that. It makes something that’s supposed to be peaceful more tragic.”
Hoffman sat in her chair in her Second Street office, sighed and shook her head.
“It’s disheartening,” she said. “The cemetery is one of those places that’s supposed to bring peace and comfort.”
