Alleged funeral parlor ring thief arrested
ODESSA, Texas --Police have arrested a woman suspected of stealing a ring from a corpse at a Texas funeral home in an incident captured on surveillance video.
Odessa police on Tuesday arrested 41-year-old Kalynn Homfeld on a charge of theft from a human corpse.
Police on Monday released security video of a woman seen entering a viewing room at Sunset Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home, reaching into an open casket and fumbling to remove something from the female corpse.
The suspect then drove off in a car.
CBS affiliate KOSA reported that the incident occurred on Friday. The theft was discovered Saturday. Police told the station the community's tips helped detectives track down Homfeld at her home early Tuesday.
The dead woman's family, still grieving, asked anyone with information to come forward after the incident, and video of the theft went viral as it was shared across social media. After the arrest, they told the station they are relieved and are thankful for the community's help in the search.
"We're so thankful that everybody shared [the video] on Facebook and just helped us find this person," the dead woman's daughter Brenda Vaughn told the station.
Police have said the ring stolen Friday was worth about $10. They haven't said whether it was recovered.
"She said she was sorry for stealing the ring," Odessa police spokesman Cpl. Steve LeSueur told the station.
Online Ector County jail records didn't yet list custody or attorney information for Homfeld.
Their tips to police helped detectives track Homfeld down at her home early Tuesday.