FRASER, Mich. – A Macomb County man is grieving not only his father’s untimely death, but the theft of his father’s remains and the rest of his belongings.
He’s said he doesn’t care about the Jeep, he just want his father’s belongings back.
“Like everything was in there. Everything was in there,” Justin said. “All of his coins, all of his military records, everything.”
Justin has been devastated and depressed. His father Daniel died Jan. 2 and just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday, his father’s Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk was stolen from out front his Fraser home with part of his father’s ashes and all his dad’s belongings inside.
“I don’t care about the car. There’s paintings in there of my father,” Justin said. “My father was in the Pentagon when it got hit. He was on the fifth floor. His office was completely demolished by the airplane that day.”
Daniel was a retired Navy veteran who became even more of a hero in 9/11. Justin’s now offering a $15,000 reward for his father’s belongings, but he fears it may be too late for the vehicle.
“Someone wanted to joyride the vehicle and they crashed it yesterday,” Justin said. “A bunch of people saw it crash.”
Justin had just picked up his father’s ashes and belongings the morning before the theft, including the Jeep itself. Plans were being made to make sure his father remains were honorably laid to rest.
“Half of him is going to be buried at sea,” Justin said. “The other half is going to be here at the Great Lakes National Cemetery.”
The hope is everything can be returned or at the very least, his father’s ashes.
“I felt like a part of me left with that,” Justin concluded. “I don’t care if the car isn’t drivable. I just want all the stuff that’s inside of it. I mean it’s everything.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Fraser Police Department at 586-293-1425.