JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — The man who was accused of damaging a private mausoleum and stealing body parts from a Jefferson County cemetery last year has been sentenced.
On Friday, John Wayne Belknap, 47, was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections, plus time served for misdemeanor charges, after he was arrested in October 2023 on charges related to vandalizing a crypt and stealing body parts.
The case started on Oct. 11, 2023, when deputies responded to a “heartbreaking report” at the Crown Hill Cemetery, the sheriff’s office said. Somebody had severely damaged a mausoleum, vandalized a crypt and stolen body parts.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
Investigators said they believed a suspect entered the cemetery sometime overnight, forced their way into the crypt and gained access to the casket. The sheriff’s office said the casket was pried open and portions of the decedent’s body were removed.
Two weeks later, deputies arrested Belknap.
Suspect arrested in connection with stolen body parts from Crown Hill Cemetery
He pleaded guilty in early November 2024 to abuse of a corpse, criminal mischief and theft. As part of the plea deal, the other charges filed against him were dropped. Those included possession of a weapon by a previous offender, burglary, and desecrating a venerated object (place of worship, burial site).
The victim’s remains were returned to the cemetery and restored to the crypt, the sheriff’s office said.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
“It was an emotional day of justice for those close to the case,” the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office wrote on social media. “This case reminds us of why we do what we do: to bring peace, accountability, and resolution in the face of tragedy. To our team who worked tirelessly to make this right, thank you for your dedication! Justice served. Closure achieved. This is what we do.”
