Vince Cappellini is still shaken after receiving some shocking news early this week. On Monday, the 62-year-old attorney got a call from the Luzerne County Coroner’s Office that his grandmother, Mary Cappellini Piga, had her remains taken from the Good Shepherd Memorial Mausoleum in Plains Township.
“I was told, ‘In all my years in law enforcement and as coroner, I can’t figure out what the hell happened,'” Cappellini recounted in an interview with Newsweek. “He mentioned that someone broke into the mausoleum and got into my Nonna’s crypt sometime between last Thursday and Sunday.”
The theft involved more than just breaking a lock; the culprit actually had to remove parts of the marble to access Piga’s coffin, which is deeply disturbing for her grandson.
“They opened the coffin to take the bones,” he shared. Later, authorities managed to recover a part of Piga’s remains. Interestingly, they also discovered another body at the site during the investigation, as announced by the Plains Township Police Department in a Facebook post.
Cappellini expressed a desire to have his grandmother regained, who sadly passed away in July 1979, saying, “The last update I got was that they were investigating with both the Pennsylvania State Police and our local Plains Township police.” He understands that they might perform DNA testing on the remains.
The police believe the creepy burglary happened sometime between November 1 and November 6, stating, “During this incident, remains from two individuals were removed from their crypts.” They have urged anyone with knowledge about the event to step forward, promising that all tips would remain confidential.
When asked for further details, representatives from Plains Township and state police had not responded to the requests for additional comments as of Friday. Luzerne County Coroner Dion Fernandes did confirm that at least two people’s remains had been taken from the cemetery, but wouldn’t divulge any more information as the investigation is still open.
Cappellini shared that he was grappling with a flood of emotions due to the nature of this terrible crime. The feelings ranged from shock to frustration and disgust over the entire situation.
The family had actually been thinking about relocating Piga’s body after they learned the mausoleum was reportedly condemned back in 2015. “Over the years, we’ve tried to reach out to the owners,’ Cappellini mentioned. There had been calls about moving Noona’s body out of there when this awful occurrence took place.
The site’s ownership came into question after it was bought at a tax sale in 2005, with the new owner, who now lives in Florida, claiming she had no idea the property housed a cemetery. “We didn’t buy that part of it; it wasn’t our intention to keep it as a cemetery,” Viktoria Evstafieva stated back in 2006.
Cappellini recalled visiting his grandmother’s final resting spot just last year, mentioning her place of birth in Perugia, Italy, on January 31, 1898. “It’s funny because I visited her hometown two years ago,” he thought back with nostalgia. “She was such a loving person, always focused on family gatherings and cooking up Sunday meals. She adored her kids and grandkids.”
Piga had two sons, Domenic and Vincent, though unfortunately, a third child didn’t survive infancy, as Cappellini shared.
As the investigation moves on, Cappellini is committed to staying on top of the situation and is eager for justice. “I’m just praying, along with the family, that we find some resolution here,” he told Newsweek concluding his thoughts. “I really want to see the person, or persons, responsible caught and face the consequences. It’s disturbing beyond words.”
In his plea, Cappellini reached out directly to the culprits, urging them to do the right thing: “If you’re seeing this, come forward and help the authorities. Knowing that your Nonna’s remains are out there brings a pain I can’t even describe.”
