By Hannah Heiskell, HD Media
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After her husband’s death, Cheryl Rhodes found herself the subject of a headstone scam. Two years later, she said she’s still grieving — emotionally and financially.
“It’s too emotional. I still don’t have closure,” said Rhodes, 68, of Charleston. “But as long as no one else goes through this, that’s a lot.”
Rhodes is one of 25 victims who the Attorney General’s office said was defrauded out of a total of $78,851.44 since at least August 2013.
The Attorney General’s office said Glenn A. Naylor II, of Clendenin, has owned Naylor Monument Company since 2013. Over the course of owning this business, Naylor had entered into at least 25 different consumer transactions and failed to provide promised cemetery monuments, services and engravings to every one of them.
Calls to Naylor seeking comment have not been returned. No one answered the door of a residence listed in the court filings as his home address.
A dozen headstones were found scattered in the backyard of the residence. The headstones varied in surnames and some appeared to be unfinished.
Naylor was ordered to pay $78,851.44 in restitution, and $125,000 — or $5,000 per victim — in civil penalties. But some victims said the Attorney General’s office told them they may not receive a refund, but they should also refrain from buying another headstone.
