GRANTSVILLE, Utah — A week after more than a dozen historic headstones were damaged at a Grantsville cemetery, police identified those who they believe are responsible.
Details about the suspects, including how many, their ages and identities, were not made available by police. However, officials did say charges have been sent to the District Attorney for screening.
On February 15, photos were shared of the Grantsville City Cemetery of damaged and broken headstones, some of which dated back to the 1800s.
After scoping out the damage, the city determined about 17 headstones were vandalized.
Jason Millward says many of his relatives are buried in the Grantsville City Cemetery.
"Grandparents on both sides, great grandparents, going back to some of the early settlers of Grantsville," said Millward.
It's why Millward was upset to learn about the vandalism that took place at the cemetery, which was established in 1856.
Two of the headstones that were damaged belong to his family.
"I recognized all of them, visiting them often," said Millward.
With a personal connection to the situation, Millward is also looking to help.
"I'm a sculptor, stone carver and, and an instructor at Utah Valley University in sculpture," said Millward.
With his skillset, Millward is confident he could make repairs.
"I noticed right away that this was most likely white marble that had eroded and stained over time from being dissolved,, from water," said Millward. "So, I can't get away from the thought that I need to be involved in restoring these monuments."
FOX 13 News walked the cemetery on Thursday with Grantsville Mayor Neil Critchlow.
"We want to restore the headstones and the people that need to be remembered down there," said Mayor Critchlow.
He says he and the city's public works department met with the Cemetery Program Manager at the Utah State Historic Preservation Office to assess the extent of the damage.
"I was so concerned but she says, no, we've dealt with worse than this and we will help you get these and return them as close to normal as we possibly can," said Mayor Critchlow.
Millward told FOX 13 News on Thursday that if he is allowed to help, he would like to work on the stones. If not, he said he'd be happy to advise in the repairs and restoration of the headstones in any way he can.
"I envision turning this into a positive experience for everybody," said Millward. "Perhaps we can get together, we can resurrect these monuments, restore them and have a dedication where everybody comes together."
A reward was offered to collect information on who may have been responsible for the damage as police conducted extra patrols in the area.
On Thursday, local police said they were able to identify those who were responsible for the damage.
Citing the "ongoing investigation," police did not disclose other details about the suspects or potential charges.
"We appreciate all information forwarded to us so we can bring justice to all those affected by these acts," officials said.
"Investigators will continue to work with the victims and their families to ensure all aspects of these crimes are accounted for and again thank the community for their support of the Police Department’s endeavors."
Mayor Critchlow says the goal is to have all the broken and damaged headstones repaired by Memorial Day.
