Special to the News
On Wednesday Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the guilty plea of a Thomasville couple, Anthony Kirven Williams and Teresa Cobb Williams, relating to their business, Williams Granite Memorial.
They are convicted for the theft of money from individuals seeking headstones or memorial items for a family member or loved one.
Teresa Williams pleaded guilty to five felony counts of theft and two misdemeanor counts of theft, and Anthony Williams pleaded to nine misdemeanor counts of theft. Restitution totals more than $50,000; each victim will be paid in full for the missing memorial items they paid for.
“Families trusted this business and were deceived. They wanted to memorialize their loved ones with dignity. Instead, their grief was treated not as sacred, but as an opportunity, and they were betrayed,” Attorney General Marshall said. “The theft from people mourning the dead is not just a crime, it’s despicable. Those who prey on grief will face justice.”
Anthony and Teresa were arrested and booked into the Clarke County Jail last August after they were indicted for multiple counts of theft in Clarke County. They were subsequently indicted in a second case for additional victims.
The investigation was led by the Thomasville Police Department and the Attorney General’s Consumer Interest Division. Attorney General Marshall’s Consumer Interest Division presented evidence to the Clarke County Grand Jury, resulting in the indictments.
Marshall would like to thank the Clarke County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this case.
