SAN ANTONIO – Broken headstones cover the ground of historic City Cemetery #3 on the East Side. But what was once a criminal mischief case is no longer being investigated, as San Antonio police believe there is no foul play.
“Well, what I’d like to say, I can’t say, but I think it’s a bunch of baloney,” said Ruben Lozano, whose great-grandfather is buried at the historic cemetery.
His loved one’s headstone is one of the many toppled over. Others were sliced in half or left in pieces.
Lozano disagrees with SAPD’s decision to end the investigation.
“I just think they need to do a little more homework and come out and check and see. It looks like they’ve been hit with something, and they just snapped,” said Lozano.
San Antonio Parks and Recreation sent KSAT a statement that reads in part, “It is uncertain whether the headstone was intentionally pushed or if environmental factors over time caused the original bonding to deteriorate,” adding, “Deterioration over time is a frequent issue in historic cemeteries.”
Lozano admits not all headstones look vandalized.
“This one here, you can see where the soil is eroding underneath,” he said.
But he questions how natural causes only break the top portion of other headstones.
In the case of his great-grandfather’s marker, he says it was standing upright just three months ago, and unlike other toppled headstones, it’s not facing up or facing down. It’s twisted around.
Lozano plans to fix the headstone and hopes SAPD and the city reconsider their decision.
The city’s statement notes they’ll get Lozano in touch with the Office of Historic Preservation to reset the headstone.
“Since it’s considered a historical area, I’d like to see more repairs being done. They’re trying to preserve history. Well, there’s an opportunity here,” said Lozano.
Read San Antonio Parks and Recreations’ full statement:
“Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to the KSAT story featuring Historic City Cemetery #3, specifically the family’s plot and fallen headstone. In this case, the Department will connect with the family and, in coordination with the Office of Historic Preservation, reset the headstone.
“It is uncertain whether the headstone/monument was intentionally pushed or if environmental factors over time caused the original bonding to deteriorate, weakening the headstone, and causing it to slip from its base. Deterioration over time is a frequent issue in historic cemeteries, and often results in fallen monuments.
“The Department of Parks and Recreation are stewards of some of the City’s historic eastside cemeteries providing standard maintenance services such as mowing and litter pickup. These cemeteries are active with friends and family members often visiting, and are open to the public to encourage learning more of their history and significance. The Parks Department also has a Cemetery Stewardship program that supports this connection to the community. The Department’s responsibility is to ensure the cemetery’s condition does not create or cause any public safety issues. Some descendants choose to take on the responsibility to beautify or maintain a grave or burial lot individually in accordance with municipal and historic regulations.
“Preservation of our eastside historic cemeteries is important and to support this effort, Parks and the Office of Historic Preservation have partnered together on the Cemetery Stewardship volunteer program. Last fiscal year the volunteers contributed 260 service hours to conserving the City’s historic cemeteries. Volunteers are educated and trained on best practices in cemetery conservation including research, cataloging, and headstone cleaning. We encourage neighbors to help support the preservation of our historic cemeteries through this program. Volunteers meet every 2nd Saturday.”