Detective, coroner’s investigator, say they expect morgue to be more secure following theft

By Ed Runyan

runyan@vindy.com

WARREN

The chief of detectives for the Warren Police Department says he has assigned his property technician to investigate the theft Friday of $150 from an envelope left with a body in the Trumbull County morgue.

The morgue is in ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital.

Capt. Rob Massucci said he has assigned Eric Laprocina, the department’s forensic officer and property technician, to investigate – but not because of the value of the money stolen.

“A body is evidence,” Massucci said, discussing the need to maintain a secure environment for evidence. “We have concerns because the last thing you want is somebody messing with a body.

“We’ll get to the bottom of it one way or another,” he said.

Generally, he only assigns a detective to felony crimes “unless we have some interest. And in this case, obviously we have an interest,” Massucci said. The theft of $150 is a misdemeanor.

“It’s more a matter of ‘Let’s make sure it doesn’t happen again,’” Massucci said.

Laprocina went to the hospital Monday to collect physical evidence at the morgue. He said Wednesday morning the person who took the money has not yet been identified, but he was going to be in contact again with hospital officials to follow up on the case.

On Tuesday afternoon, Massucci said he would not be assigning a detective unless the hospital asked for assistance because the theft was only $150. On Wednesday afternoon, he said he had assigned Laprocina.

Meanwhile, the chief investigator for Trumbull County coroner’s office says there was nothing unusual about her leaving $150 in cash and keys in a stapled envelope with a body in the morgue.

But after someone opened the envelope and took the money Friday, there probably will be a change in policy to always keep valuables like cash and jewelry in a locked – and video- monitored – cabinet.

Shelley Mazanetz, chief investigator, said she’s been with the office 28 years, and leaving small amounts of property, like $150 in cash, with a body always has been the routine.

The morgue has a locked and video- monitored property cabinet, which is used to protect items of substantial value, Mazanetz said. Generally, property has been removed from the deceased person and is placed in the cabinet, she said.

In this case, first responders who brought the body to the morgue did not check the man’s pockets to discover keys and cash. Mazanetz removed the items, catalogued them with a witness, placed them in an envelope and stapled it, she said. It was left with the body in the locked cooler.

The funeral home was coming in a short time to get the body, so it didn’t seem necessary to place the valuables in the cabinet, she said.

The theft occurred sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday, the coroner’s office told police.

Massucci said he agrees with Mazanetz that the cure for the type of theft that occurred Friday is to lock any item of value in the cabinet.