Criminal Probe at Arlington Cemetery Looks at Mass Grave, Possible Fraud

The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command confirmed in a Wednesday news conference that .

The ongoing investigations into possible criminal activity include the burial of eight sets of cremated remains in a single grave, improper burial reservations and contract fraud, command spokesman Chris Grey said.

“We are vigorously pursuing any potential wrongdoing, and if criminal conduct is found, the Army will take appropriate action,” Grey said.

Investigators have probed several allegations involving personnel and activities at Arlington Cemetery since October 2010.

That month, eight sets of remains were found in a single grave marked “Unknown,” although cemetery records showed only one set of remains were supposed to be buried there, according to multiple news reports. That discovery – one in a long line of mistakes and embarrassments for what many consider to be among the country’s most hallowed ground – was announced in December.

Of the eight sets of remains, Grey said Wednesday, three had been positively identified, three had been determined to be unidentifiable, one was determined to be the “unknown” soldier to whom the grave was assigned, and one is still being worked on.

Two of three sets of remains that were positively identified have been re-interred at the request of the respective families.

Arlington National Cemetery officials would not immediately release the names of those who had been identified.

Burying multiple sets of remains in a single grave in and of itself is not a criminal act, Grey said. However, the mass grave remains an open part of the investigation.

“There’s a myriad of different things we’re investigating,” Grey said. “Only one part of that is the cremated human remains that were found in one grave site. Our initial contact with the U.S. attorney determined that there’s no criminal act involved with just that. That is still part of our ongoing investigation regarding contract fraud and reservations here at the cemetery.”

Living people who make reservations to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery is a “violation of regulations,” Grey said.

Recently, . Grey said 68 of those were found to contain duplicate records. The Army Criminal Investigation Command kept the remaining box, which Grey said contained “contract-related information.”

Investigators have no evidence those boxes are linked to any criminal wrongdoing or breach of contract, Grey said.

A message left with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alexandria was not immediately returned.

Grey pointed out that none of the ongoing investigations include current administrators or personnel at the cemetery.

In June 2010, an Army inspector general report detailed numerous deficiencies at Arlington National Cemetery, including inadequate training of employees, failure to use modern technology and lack of contractual oversight.

More than a year ago, investigators determined a cemetery employee’s email account was illegally used, but they couldn’t determine who used it, Grey said. At the time, it was determined one person lied to federal investigators, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute, Grey said.

The investigation will continue “until we get to the truth,” he said.