Scott County cemeteries sale under negotiation

BENTON, Mo. -- The Missouri Attorney General's Office may be closing in on a deal that will relieve Scott County of its now 8-month obligation to maintain the Forest Hills Memorial Cemetery near Morley, Mo.

A court appointed the county as caretaker of the Morley cemetery in March -- and appointed the Sikeston, Mo., city government caretaker of two cemeteries there -- following allegations of fraud against the cemeteries' current owner, Mike Graham and Associates, based in Houston, Texas.

The Missouri Attorney General's Office has been negotiating a deal to transfer to cemetery to new owners.

Dale Birk of Jackson has been identified as the buyer the attorney general is working with. Birk was not available for comment Monday morning, but his wife Teresa said she and her husband are now waiting on paperwork from Graham and Associates before a transaction can take place.