Conviction Cuban Palo Mayombe Palo contexts Mount Dora, FL, USA · 2021

Grave desecration for a Palo Mayombe shrine

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Evidence status

Convicted

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The grave desecration supplied human remains for a Palo Mayombe shrine and ritual practice.

Ritual, oath, or initiation

Cited record

Sources

CBS News Miami (2021) '‘They Took His Skull’: 2 Florida Men Arrested For Desecrating Graves, Stealing Human Remains', CBS News Miami, 11 January. Available at: cbsnews.com (Accessed: 14 July 2026).: These are not only historical cases. In 2021: 'Two Florida men are now in jail for allegedly desecrating graves and stealing human remains, three of which belong to military veterans'... the men allegedly intended to 'use the human remains in their religious practice – Palo Mayombe, which is considered Santeria's ‘evil twin.’' When police searched the property, 'detectives found a shed with a religious shrine, and seven skulls, four of which both suspects admitted to taking from graves.'
Leigh, H. and Trujillo, D. (2021) '2 Polk County men arrested for stealing skulls, other remains of 4 veterans from Florida cemetery', ABC Action News (WFTS). Available at: tampabay28.com (Accessed: 14 July 2026).: A second Florida case shows the logic laid bare. Two men who allegedly robbed veterans' graves in Lake County faced 'four counts of Disturbing the Contents of a Grave and four counts of Abuse of a Dead Human Body,' with one also charged with buying, selling, or trafficking in dead bodies. Police said the men 'use the human remains in their religious practice' and 'chose veterans' graves because their religion demands that the remains are from those who have 'done something heroic.''

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Source and tier basis: https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/florida-men-arrested-desecrating-graves-stealing-human-remains-skulls/ Legacy citation preserved without a normalized source tier or evidentiary-role code. SHA-256 7f21f3a023b5072a60b0e28b71839103f09cbf69381f5be7428dca98e127cb03
Retrieval: 2026-07-20 · Preserved; Bound by Fear automated source-preservation ledger
Source and tier basis: https://www.tampabay28.com/news/region-polk/2-polk-county-men-arrested-for-stealing-skulls-other-remains-of-4-veterans-from-florida-cemetery Legacy citation preserved without a normalized source tier or evidentiary-role code. SHA-256 24aaef621be56a5cc512ade5ce7f3ad99b9ca596dce13e7a612b9bd47962dbf1
Retrieval: 2026-07-20 · Preserved; Bound by Fear automated source-preservation ledger

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