Crematory Ashes Sifted for Gold, Affidavit Says

The operators of an Altadena crematory often burned 10 to 15 bodies together and their ashes were sifted to retrieve gold from the teeth of the corpses, according to allegations contained in a court document filed in San Bernardino Superior Court here. The document said the operators obtained as much as four ounces of gold per week this way.

These allegations appear in an affidavit used to support a search warrant filed by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Senior Deputy George Lozano. The allegations were made by an unnamed informant described in the affidavit as a former employee of Coastal Cremations, a corporation also known as Pasadena Crematorium of Altadena.

Operator Arrested

Pasadena Crematorium was operated by David W. Sconce, 31, who was arrested Thursday along with his father, Jerry W. Sconce, 54, owner of Lamb Funeral Home in Pasadena, both on suspicion of stealing gold from corpses.

David Sconce has been under investigation by the state attorney general’s office and the state Cemetery Board on suspicion of operating a crematory in Hesperia under the guise of a ceramics plant. Authorities believe that he began burning bodies at the Hesperia facility, called Oscar Ceramics, when Pasadena Crematorium was destroyed by fire Nov. 23.

The affidavit seemed to contradict statements made by the Sconces’ attorney, Roger Diamond. Diamond had said that, although his clients had written permission from relatives of the deceased to take gold and tissue from corpses, they “did not exercise their authority to do so.”

The Sconces were unavailable for comment. But Diamond said the crematory used release forms that allowed Coastal Cremations to take gold from corpses. Diamond said the forms also granted the crematory permission to give tissue to another business operated by David Sconce, Coastal International Eye & Tissue Bank, a nonprofit corporation based in Santa Fe Springs.

‘Deny the Charges’

“We flatly deny the charges,” Diamond said. “I think it is fundamental in our system of justice that we be able to confront our accusers under the Sixth Amendment. If he remains anonymous, we don’t know who he is.”

Oscar Ceramics was closed Jan. 20 by Hesperia Fire District officials after neighbors in the area complained about “putrid” odors emanating from the plant. Inside, authorities found two kilns containing partially burned corpses and a sludge on the floor composed of body fluids and diesel oil.

On Jan. 26, Lozano and Sgt. David Dicus met in San Dimas with the informant, who claimed to have worked in several capacities at the Pasadena crematory from December, 1983, to June, 1986, according to court documents.

The informant said it was a “common practice” at Pasadena Crematorium to burn “10 to 15 bodies together,” mingle the ashes of burned corpses and take gold from the teeth of bodies, according to the documents.

The informant said the gold was “placed into a Styrofoam cup, which was collected at the end of the day by the owner, David Sconce.” Asked if anything else was taken from the bodies, the informant alleged that he “on several occasions was given neckties and clothing, such as sports coats,” the affidavit said.

The informant said it was also his job at times to place ashes into urns to be returned to funeral homes or customers. The informant “was not sure of whose remains were placed into any specific urn,” the affidavit continued.

Items Taken in Search

Based on this informant’s allegations sheriff’s investigators executed a search warrant Jan. 29 at Lamb Funeral Home in Pasadena and seized, among other things, documents, incinerated remains receipts and containers and cups with gold and teeth, the affidavit said.

This informant is one of several people cooperating in the investigation, authorities said.

Phyllis Thames, an analyst for the state Cemetery Board, said state health and safety laws prohibit the mingling of ashes without the written permission of relatives of the deceased.

Authorities said that because the investigation is continuing, formal charges have not been filed against the Sconces or John Daniel Pollerama, 27, who was arrested Sunday at Hesperia on suspicion of illegally discharging hazardous fluids at Oscar Ceramics.