Trial Date Set for Alleged Skeleton Stealer

WORCESTER, MA—A man who has been charged with stealing human bones from a Worcester cemetery heads to trial.

A date of Jan. 9 has been set for Amador Medina, who was released on custody on Friday on $2,500 cash bail, and a GPS monitor, reports the Telegram and Gazette. The former Connecticut man is living at 17 Clifton St. and has to report weekly to the probation department.

Medina allegedly stole the skeletal remains of five bodes out of two mausoleums at Hope Cemetery. He has been referred to as a Santeria priest, and agreed to head to Massachusetts originally to face charges that he stole the remains months ago from Hope Cemetery. Authorities said Medina told them he was a Santeria priest and stole the bones for healing and religious ceremonies. Worcester police told WCVB that they rarely see Santeria in the area.

The remains were those of three adults and two children, and Medina allegedly transported them to his Hartford, CT, home, reported CBS Local.

Medina was indicted on Feb. 17 on nine counts of disinterring a body, and two counts each of breaking and entering in the nighttime with intent to commit a felony, conspiracy to disinter a body, and disturbing a grave, reports the Telegram.

He was arrested in December by Hartford police, telling them that he directed another person to steal the bones in mid-May.

Medina pleaded not guilty.

There will be no charges against another Connecticut man who had been charged in connection with stealing the skeletal remains from Hope Cemetery. Felix Delgado, 40, of Bridgeport, describes himself as a Santeria priest, and was arrested on on Feb. 2 after the human remains were stolen from mausoleums in Worcester. NECN reports that since the bones are not consistent from those taken from Hope Cemetery, the charges have been dropped against Delgado. The District Attorney's office told NECN that Delgado was released into custody of Springfield police, and has outstanding warrants there.