Las Vegas Woman Steals Coffin from Funeral Home, Dumps Body Out Front: Police

09/06/2024 10:11 AM

A Las Vegas woman was arrested after she allegedly broke into a Nevada funeral home and rolled a coffin right out the front door ... before dumping the body in front of the business.

The incident went down at the Affordable Cremation & Burial Service of Las Vegas on August 27, after police responded to a report of a body lying face down in landscaped rocks outside. A casket was located nearby, as was paperwork saying the victim's viewing had been the previous day, per FOX 5.

A door for the business was open, with broken glass one one side.

Police obtained surveillance video from the business, which reportedly showed a woman with a buzz cut and black tank top break the front window, before reaching inside and unlocking the front door. Per police, she then was seen inside the funeral home's viewing room, before rolling the casket out the front door.

Patricia Sierra, 47, was located by police two days later -- after someone matching the suspect's description was spotted at a nearby convenience store. She was arrested on August 29 and charged with grand larceny of more than $1,200 and less than $5,000, as well as burglary of a business and removing, transferring or disturbing human remains.

According to FOX News, Sierra allegedly told police she had a substance abuse problem and "blacks out" after being read her Miranda Rights -- claiming she blacked out that night after drinking six beers.

She allegedly acknowledged she was the person in the video, but didn't not remember why she broke into the funeral home and couldn't remember doing it. Police say she also admitted she's burglarized other businesses, and added that her preferred method for doing so was using a rock to break a window.

The suspect also allegedly said "she was not trying to be malicious and was apologetic."

Her bail was set at $11,000, with a preliminary hearing set for September 18.