Police say Mark Zuniga,27, stole an expensive ring from the body of a deceased woman he was transporting to a mortuary facility. Photo provided by the Riverside Police Department.On Tuesday, December 1, a 27-year-old Downey resident was arrested for stealing an expensive ring from the body of a deceased woman he was transporting to a mortuary facility.
On September 24, an elderly woman passed away at a local hospital in Riverside. A mortuary based out of Orange County handled arrangements for the family and used a decedent transport company to drive the woman’s body to a mortuary facility.
A few days later, family members noticed a ring valued at several thousand dollars was missing from the decedent’s hand. During the course of the investigation, detectives determined that the ring had been pawned in Los Angeles County by one of the contracted decedent transportation drivers.
Mark Anthony Zuniga was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center. He was charged with grand theft, jail records show. Zuniga has since been released on a “Notice to Appear” citation due to current bail schedules for non-violent offenses in California.
Detectives were able to return the stolen ring back to the decedent’s family. Police say Zuniga has been relieved of his transportation duties.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Edward Vazquez at 951-353-7955 or [email protected]. Those wishing to remain anonymous can e-mail [email protected] or utilize the Riverside Police Department’s mobile app “Submit a Tip” feature while referencing report number 200026696.
