Former cemetery manager charged with stealing thousands

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- A former cemetery manager has been charged with stealing more than $200,000 from a cemetery and its customers and using the money to pay a cruise ship tab and other personal expenses.

Gregory Charles Spalding, 45, was supposed to turn himself in at the Buchanan County Law Enforcement Center at about 9 p.m. Tuesday, said St. Joseph Police Detective Richard Shelton. But before he could be arrested Tuesday evening, Spalding had to be hospitalized.

Spalding took $144,082 in receipts from Mount Olivet Cemetery and deposited them in an unauthorized private checking account, then converted the funds for personal use, authorities said.

Part of the money was used to pay a $1,578 cruise ship tab, according to a statement of probable cause.

According to the statement, Spalding also received a $75,000 check from a private investor, Vince Sutera, to start a monument business. Spalding deposited the check into the unauthorized account and then wrote a $32,000 check to Catholic Cemeteries Association Inc. to pay for missing deposits.

The monument business was never started and Sutera never received his money back or any benefits from his investment, the statement said.

Spalding also stole money from the Knights of Columbus Council No. 12463, the statement said.

Shelton said Spalding will be "picked up" by the Kansas City Police Department when he is released from the hospital.

He is charged with a Class C felony of stealing and will be held on an $80,000 bond.