Only on 2: Gast Monuments gets headstone after loved one died in 2021
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An update to a story you saw first on CBS 2.
Gast Monuments, a company that creates headstones and other memorials, is under investigation by the Cook County State's Attorney.
More impacted customers, many grieving families, are sharing their stories. CBS 2's Sabrina Franza has the story.
Not only is the Cook County State's Attorney investigating, but the Illinois Attorney General is also aware of the ongoing problem.
The family orders a headstone for their loved one. They paid, but the memorial never arrived until Monday when one customer gets a result.
"Maybe they're trying to finally make amends."
Joe Shaker finally had his memorial installed on Monday. He ordered it in October 2021.
"I truly believe that because of the expose with CBS 2 that we got their attention."
CBS 2 first told you about Gast Monuments last week, exposing ongoing issues with their production and delivery process.
Customers like Shaker paid thousands. The memorial was over ten thousand dollars.
"Too many people, I think, have probably been hurt by this."
Over 40 families still wait for their loved ones' graves to be marked by the memorials they paid for.
"My dad loved God and loved people. And my mom was, she was the glue of our family, our whole big family."
Mary Bedford lost her parents. Their headstones were promised by the end of last year.
"Personally, I feel like people should do what they say they're gonna do. And they haven't done what they said they were going to do."
Bedford told CBS 2 that she's waiting on a refund from Gast. It was promised to her because she ordered two more headstones from another company to make up for the two she never received.
"We're done being patient."
CBS 2 asked Gast Monuments about the ongoing Cook County State's Attorney Investigation, which they claimed they were unaware of.
Regarding Monday's delivery, Gast management told CBS 2 that their access to deliver monuments to Catholic Cemeteries was restored after our reporting.
Previously the company claimed the archdiocese wasn't allowing them to do so.
The reason for that, CBS 2 was told, was because Gast wasn't paying Catholic Cemeteries the installation fees they were owed.
