Benson Police Chief Glenn Nichols said the crime occurred some time Jan. 10. A groundskeeper at the cemetery, about a mile south of the 7th Street-Route 80 turnoff, noticed that the mausoleum had been vandalized and notified authorities.

The mausoleum, an above ground chamber, holds about 100 caskets. Detective Troy McGoffin said authorities don't know why the thieves chose to vandalize that particular casket that had been there since 1965, especially since it was located toward the center of the chamber.

Even more puzzling, McGoffin said the suspects didn't break anything to get to the casket. Instead, they used tools and unscrewed the four screws holding the marble slab up and went through the wall to get to the grave.

Making the case more disturbing, Nichols said the skull turned up in a trash bag at Officer Gary Douglas' office at Benson Middle School.

Neither Nichols nor school officials believe the skull theft was a school prank or a threat against teachers or staff. Douglas is the school resource officer, and whoever left the skull there likely knew that, Nichols said. It was returned shortly after Douglas put out a notice that police knew it was stolen and that they would get to the bottom of it.

High school principal Bryan Bullington said a morning custodian found it Jan. 12 hanging on the door and assumed it belonged to the high school science department.

Bullington said it was later determined that it was the skull taken from the cemetery and immediately taken to Douglas.

Nichols said investigators are working hard to solve the case, noting that not only did the culprits violate a grave, but they also caused emotional stress to family members of the man interred 42 years ago.

The skull is currently in police custody. McGoffin said it has been sent to a lab for testing.

http://www.bensonnews-sun.com/articles/2007/01/24/news/news2.txt