‘Absolutely Bizarre’: Man Held in Damage to Civil War Corpse
A man performing court-ordered community service in a cemetery was charged with breaking into a Civil War-era tomb and desecrating remains by pulling apart a skeleton and posing for pictures.
“It’s bizarre, absolutely bizarre,” police Lt. Richard Siemasko said. “I can’t even imagine what was in his head. This is just a whole new level of weird for me.”
Neil J. Goodwin Jr., 19, of Salisbury was working at the city’s Old Hill Burying Ground on Aug. 17 as part of his courtordered community service for a burglary conviction.
Prosecutors said Goodwin, who was on probation for breaking into an apartment last fall, kicked in the thin marble entrance to the tomb marked “1863 Pierce” and twisted off the decomposed corpse’s spine, collarbone and skull.
Police said they got an anonymous tip and received three photos of Goodwin holding the bones. Police would not say who took the pictures or who identified Goodwin, but they do not expect to make more arrests.
Goodwin was arraigned Wednesday on charges of desecrating a corpse and breaking into a tomb, both felonies. He was ordered held on $10,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court Sept. 22.
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