# Body of woman, 25, stolen from casket in broad daylight in Texas **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 23, 2015, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583 "2015-08-23T04:45:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/21 "2015-08-23T20:31:21Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > And, not to put it too crudely, but she could have been “used” six ways from zero, stuffed back in the box,and cremated along with all… traces. Stealing the body seems pointless. Movie quote. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/22 "2015-08-23T20:36:32Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Movie quote. 😉 Take your dog and get outta here. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/23 "2015-08-23T21:05:50Z")
Perhaps it’s just a ransom situation. “We stole your daughter’s body. Leave ten thousand dollars under the park bench and we’ll tell you where we hid it.” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/24 "2015-08-23T21:18:55Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Movie quote. 😉 Dora: “Why would anybody want to steal a dead, naked body?” \ “On, that’s tacky. That’s really tacky.” A funny line, but utterly brilliant when delivered by [Maggie Smith](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7tp-IpBELA&t=0m18s). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/25 "2015-08-23T22:54:03Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > And, not to put it too crudely, but she could have been “used” six ways from zero, stuffed back in the box,and cremated along with all… traces. Stealing the body seems pointless. Unless the death involved undetected foul play, & the killer freaked out, panicked, & swiped the body, to prevent an autopsy that nobody was considering. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/26 "2015-08-24T00:52:04Z")
How old was she? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/27 "2015-08-24T01:04:32Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > How old was she? More to the point, how _fresh_ was she? ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/28 "2015-08-24T01:24:24Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > How old was she? See thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/29 "2015-08-24T01:30:00Z")
Some people can get pretty desperate for any money they can get. Especially drug addicts scrounging for their next fix. We’ve all heard of the desperate thefts they commit just to get $1 here or $1 there. . . According to [this site](http://chemistry.about.com/b/2011/02/06/how-much-are-the-elements-in-your-body-worth.htm), the components of a human body, if reduced to separate elements, is worth about $1, or maybe possibly up to $5 if we grant enough generous assumptions. OTOH, according to [this site](http://www.datagenetics.com/blog/april12011/), the components of a human body, if reduced to separate elements, is worth up to $160. That value derives almost entirely from the potassium, which is apparently abundant enough in the body and valuable enough to contribute about $104 of that value. Sodium is next, with a value of about $29. Other elements adding over $5 each are oxygen, fluorine, and rubidium. At these values, why are we burying _anybody?_ ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/30 "2015-08-24T02:01:51Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > See thread title. I am making fun of the writer, who kept repeating her age throughout the entire article. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/31 "2015-08-24T02:06:29Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > At these values, why are we burying _anybody?_ Those values don’t appear to account for any costs, just what your body is worth if it magically degraded into separate contained piles of pure elements. The real value is probably negative. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/32 "2015-08-24T02:48:52Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Dora: “Why would anybody want to steal a dead, naked body?” > \ > “On, that’s tacky. That’s really tacky.” > A funny line, but utterly brilliant when delivered by [Maggie Smith](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7tp-IpBELA&t=0m18s). That you for that; I just added **Murder By Death** to my Netflix queue. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/33 "2015-08-24T03:52:34Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Some people can get pretty desperate for any money they can get. Especially drug addicts scrounging for their next fix. We’ve all heard of the desperate thefts they commit just to get $1 here or $1 there. . . > > According to [this site](http://chemistry.about.com/b/2011/02/06/how-much-are-the-elements-in-your-body-worth.htm), the components of a human body, if reduced to separate elements, is worth about $1, or maybe possibly up to $5 if we grant enough generous assumptions. > > OTOH, according to [this site](http://www.datagenetics.com/blog/april12011/), the components of a human body, if reduced to separate elements, is worth up to $160. That value derives almost entirely from the potassium, which is apparently abundant enough in the body and valuable enough to contribute about $104 of that value. Sodium is next, with a value of about $29. Other elements adding over $5 each are oxygen, fluorine, and rubidium. > > At these values, why are we burying _anybody?_ It’s too hard a sell at the pawn shops and most of the recycling centers? In places other than Baltimore, or course. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/34 "2015-08-24T05:28:26Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Or Tom Petty. Interesting thought. But her name isn’t Mary. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/35 "2015-08-24T06:35:23Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > … you really have to ask? > > ETA: The pics in the article should give hints. Again? > **[Local](https://www.kcrg.com/news/local/51327922.html)** ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/36 "2015-08-24T07:27:56Z")
It’s probably a relative that objects to cremation. Perhaps an older relative like a grandparent or great uncle/aunt. Someone that wants a traditional burial because of religious beliefs. The police probably know who that person is and are trying to get the body returned. I noticed in this article they stressed that right now it’s a misdemeanor. Perhaps to reassure the person that they won’t get in serious trouble if they return the body. The sooner it’s returned to the family the better. I don’t think they use much embalming for bodies going directly to cremation. So, there is a time factor here. [http://www.people.com/article/julie-mott-santonio-texas-woman-body-stolen](http://www.people.com/article/julie-mott-santonio-texas-woman-body-stolen) > [@](#): > > Right now, the case is being treated as abuse of a corpse, which is a class A misdemeanor in Texas, Salazar says. > > The investigation – led by the SAPD’s intelligence unit, who Salazar calls the “best of the best” – has developed persons of interest, but no solid suspects. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/37 "2015-08-24T08:11:04Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It’s probably a relative that objects to cremation. Perhaps an older relative like a grandparent or great uncle/aunt. Someone that wants a traditional burial because of religious beliefs. The police probably know who that person is and are trying to get the body returned. You cannot seriously be that naive. The girl was young and cute. She presumably died in a hospital or under care of some sort, so the body would have been embalmed quickly and thus very well preserved. There’s only one reason someone would want to surreptitiously steal that body, and it wasn’t her grandma on the way to a clandestine proper Christian burial. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/38 "2015-08-24T08:23:24Z")
Missed the edit window, but just saw your comment about the procedures for embalming if it’s going for cremation. I’m not sure how they handle that normally, but either way the point is the corpse would have been pretty fresh at the time. The only reason that article even offers the “objecting to cremation” as a possibility is because they want to spare the family’s dignity by not mentioning the much, much more likely event that somebody is fucking their daughter’s corpse barring conclusive proof. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/39 "2015-08-24T08:32:56Z")
If that’s the case then whoever is responsible needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. That’s too disgusting an act too even contemplate. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583/40 "2015-08-24T13:48:35Z")
What, sometimes you’ve just got to crack open a cold one? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/body-of-woman-25-stolen-from-casket-in-broad-daylight-in-texas/728583.md?page=3)