Shreveport Woman Arrested for Desecration of Graves

On August 18, 2024, Shreveport Police Department (SPD) property crime detectives were alerted following suspicious circumstances related to a house fire that occurred a few nights earlier. During the investigation, several grave markers and bronze cemetery vases were found in a fire pit on the property in question, along with a dump trailer registered to Forest Park Cemetery.

Melissa Griffin, a resident of the property, became a person of interest when cemetery personnel reported recent issues involving Griffin allegedly using company property for personal use. Further investigation by SPD detectives confirmed that some of the grave markers found belonged to graves on Forest Park Cemetery grounds, where multiple markers had recently gone missing.

Griffin was apprehended by SPD officers after returning to Forest Park Cemetery, where she admitted to taking the grave markers. Following her confession, Griffin was charged with the following offenses:

· Desecration of Graves (2 counts) - 14:101

· Unauthorized Use of a Movable (2 counts) - 14:68

· Theft (Felony) - 14:67

· Simple Burglary - 14:62

The Shreveport Police Department remains committed to upholding community standards and protecting the sanctity of local cemeteries.