Former Illinois cemetery employee charged with taking over $114,000 from families’ funeral payments, including cash paid for headstones

A former employee of Mount Glenwood Memory Gardens cemetery in Illinois has been charged after investigators found that she took more than $114,000 in all from families’ funeral payments. Latrecia Marshall-Parris, 48, of Harvey, was accused of taking portions of payments 49 times between April 2022 and August 2023. The payments included money families gave for funeral expenses and headstones, which were often purchased with cash.The investigation began after cemetery staff reported that a family’s cash payment for a headstone had not been fully deposited into the cemetery’s account. According to CBS News, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart announced the charges in 2025. The case highlighted how families seeking funeral services were allegedly affected by the misuse of money paid to the funeral home.How did a former cemetery employee allegedly misuse families’ funeral paymentsMarshall-Parris was charged with two counts of continuing a financial crime enterprise and two counts of theft. The charges followed an investigation by sheriff’s detectives after cemetery staff raised concerns about a cash payment made by a family for a headstone. Staff reported in August 2023 that Marshall-Parris had taken a cash amount from the family but deposited a smaller amount into the cemetery’s account.The report prompted detectives to examine her handling of payments made by families arranging funerals. The investigation found that she had taken portions of funeral payments 49 times between April 2022 and August 2023. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart announced the charges in 2025.How Marshall-Parris handled funeral payments and headstone purchasesMarshall-Parris had worked with families as they made funeral arrangements at Mount Glenwood Memory Gardens cemetery. Her responsibilities included helping them purchase headstones. The investigation found that she took a portion of families’ funeral payments on multiple occasions. The total amount taken was more than $114,000.The report did not provide a breakdown of the individual payments or state how much was taken from each family. She was fired from her position. She was responsible for working directly with families during the funeral planning process.Headstone payment discrepancy led to discovery of 49 theftsThe investigation began after cemetery staff reported the headstone payment discrepancy in August 2023. A family had paid Marshall-Parris in cash for a headstone, but a smaller amount was deposited into the cemetery’s account. Sheriff’s detectives then investigated her handling of funeral payments.Their findings showed that money had been taken from families 49 times between April 2022 and August 2023. The total exceeded $114,000. The report identified the payments as funeral expenses, including money for headstones, and said headstones were often paid for in cash. It did not give further details about the families or the individual transactions.What charges does Marshall-Parris face in the theft caseAn arrest warrant was issued for Marshall-Parris, and she was taken into custody by Harvey Police and then turned over to the sheriff’s police custody. Marshall-Parris appeared in court at the Markham Courthouse. The court ordered her release until the trial begins.She was identified as a 48-year-old resident of Harvey, Illinois. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart announced the charges in 2025. The case involves two counts of continuing a financial crime enterprise and two counts of theft.Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information. The Times of India has not independently verified the allegations, investigation findings, amount of money involved, or charges mentioned. The allegations should not be interpreted as confirmation of guilt, and the case remains subject to legal proceedings.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.