Reward Offered For Information On Peone Cemetery Vandalism

The Peone Cemetery Association is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of vandals who toppled about 100 headstones over the weekend.

In addition to knocking over headstones - some of which weigh hundreds of pounds - vandals pulled up flowers, scrawled graffiti and destroyed mementos such as children’s teddy bears.

“We have had many offers from the community to help,” said Neil Ziegler, secretary of the cemetery association’s board.

Concerned residents and the association put up the money for the reward, Ziegler said.

He was lucky. His wife was buried last fall, but her grave was not disturbed. Debra Ziegler, 36, died in October in a car accident.

The cemetery, set off Bruce Road near Day-Mount Spokane Road, contains about 1,200 graves. This is the first recorded incidence of vandalism at the 100-year-old cemetery.

The cemetery association decided to wait until the soggy ground dries before bringing in heavy equipment to repair the graves, Ziegler said.Spokane County sheriff’s detectives are talking to high schools and working on leads from the vandalism, Lt. David Wiyrick said.”We’re waiting for contacts from the citizens,” he said. “No one’s been arrested at this point.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at 456-2240 or Crime Check at 456-2233.