Willie Simms was an 11-year-old Black boy who died in 1921. He was laid to rest in a historic cemetery in the Houston, Texas, area that was believed to be a burial ground for Black veterans and their families. For decades, his grave remained a quiet memorial to a life cut short.
That peace was shattered nearly 90 years later. In May 2008, authorities with the Harris County Sheriff's Department discovered that Willie's grave had been desecrated. Investigators found the gravesite uncovered and the headstone broken and thrown aside. The damage had been done over a two-day period by several individuals who had attempted to dig up the body.
The investigation was prompted by a disturbing tip that a human skull had been stolen from the cemetery and was being used to smoke marijuana. When an officer questioned one of the suspects about the rumor, the young man "regurgitated in his plate of food," leading the officer to believe there was "some truth to the story." Police arrested three people in connection with the desecration: 17-year-old Kevin Wade Jones, 17-year-old Matthew Aaron Gonzalez, and a third, unnamed minor. In statements to police, they admitted that they had tried to dig up a body.
The three were charged with abuse of a corpse, a misdemeanor that applies to vandalizing a gravesite even if the remains are not touched. Because heavy rains had flooded the open grave, investigators were unable to confirm whether Willie's skull had actually been removed, and the suspects gave conflicting accounts. The individuals were also connected to a vehicle break-in, leading to additional charges. Jones and the minor were charged with credit card abuse, while Gonzalez pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor theft charge. As of May 2008, police were trying to locate any of Willie Simms' surviving relatives, and an official stated that the "ultimate goal will be to put this body back to rest."
