A stolen hearse with a body inside was recovered Feb. 12 in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter, 650 S. Truman Blvd., in Festus, and two people suspected of stealing it were arrested and later charged in the case. The hearse was stolen the morning of Feb. 11 in north St. Louis County, and a body was inside at the time, authorities reported.
Brian Schaake, 38, and Christina Kalb, 31, both of Springfield, Ill., were found inside the Twin City Walmart store, arrested and then charged the next day in the St. Louis County Circuit Court, according to St. Louis County Police.
Schaake was charged with stealing a motor vehicle, a class D felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. He was being held at the St. Louis County Jail as on $40,000 cash-only bond.
Kalb was charged with second-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, a class A misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to one year in jail. She was released from custody, St. Louis County Police reported.
Crystal City Chief Chad Helms said one of his officers was notified Feb. 15 of the stolen hearse’s location while working an accident nearby.
“Our officer was there working a vehicle accident about 9:30 a.m. when a citizen approached him and said the hearse was parked on the Walmart lot,” Helms said. “Our officer confirmed it was the one.”
The Walmart sits on property that straddles both Crystal City and Festus, and officers from both police departments responded to the store to search for the suspects.
“(Store staff) said the suspects were in sporting goods,” Helms said. “We took the suspects into custody safely and without incident.”
Festus Chief Tim Lewis said local officers held the suspects and guarded the hearse until St. Louis County Police arrived to investigate the scene and take custody of the hearse and suspects.
St. Louis County Police reported that at about 10:25 a.m. Feb. 11 officers from the North County Precinct responded to QuikTrip, 12110 Lusher Road, in north St. Louis County, for a call about a stolen vehicle. The preliminary investigation indicated the vehicle was left running and unattended in the parking lot and someone entered the vehicle and drove away.
The vehicle is a white 2012 Nissan NV 1500 van bearing decals saying William C. Harris Funeral on its side and green wreaths with the letter H inside them.
St. Louis County Police said the body is an adult woman, and Tracy Panus, spokesperson for the department, said the body was recovered.
Helms said it is not uncommon for a crime committed in one section of the St. Louis area to touch other areas far away.
“This confirms crime has no boundaries,” Helms said.
Panus said information about the stolen hearse had been made public, which helped police find it.
“Thank you to everyone who assisted in disseminating this information,” Panus said. “Our partnership with the media is very valuable to us. This case is a remarkable example of how working together benefits our community and helps to bring closure to those who have been victimized.”