SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Retired CHP officer Debbie Bratby says family and friends of fallen CHP Officer John Pedro were finally getting some closure over Pedro's death.
"You're moving on with your life. And then when something like this happens its just like it happened again," said Bratby.
The "this" she is referring to is the empty hole left after someone stole Pedro's 200 pound tombstone once was.
"The feeling is anger, sadness, every range of emotion you can think of is what we are all feeling right now," said Bratby.
The woman who reported the missing tombstone said when she looked up from her husband's grave, she noticed the flag on Pedro's grave knocked over. When she got closer she saw the light broken, that's when she noticed the missing grave marker.
The stolen tombstone had Officer Pedro's badge engraved in the middle, costing $800 to replace.
But this isnt the first time memorials for pedro have been targeted.
"It's someone who has a vendetta against him," said Bratby.
Bratby said in 2005 a 6-foot-tall cross built near the site of Pedro's fatal crash was also stolen. Also, his name on his memorial highway sign was cut off several times.
"I don't understand. Its been ten years. Why now? why this?" said Bratby.
Santa Cruz Sheriff deputies have no leads yet and the case is still under investigation. But they say the tomb stone was taken sometime between 8pm saturday night to 8am sunday morning.
No other graves were damaged.
"It hurts no one except his family and friends. So if your going after the person. He's gone, it serves no purpose. That's what is so crazy about it," said Bratby.
The company who is making the new grave marker is donating it so it will come at no cost to the family.
The family has a $5,000 reward for anyone who knows more information about the stolen tombstone. The Santa Cruz Memorial Oakwood Chapel is adding $1,000 to that, making the total $6,000 for anyone with information.
