Loved ones of decedents who paid a memorial company for items they never received will get their money back following the business owners' convictions.
Anthony Kirven Williams and Teresa Cobb Williams, the owners of Williams Granite Memorials in Thomasville, were convicted on theft charges related to headstones or memorial items that were paid for but never delivered.
Teresa Williams pleaded guilty to five felony counts of theft and two misdemeanor counts of theft. Anthony Williams pleaded to nine misdemeanor counts of theft.
Attorney General Steve Marshall said the victims will be paid in full through restitution totaling over $500,000.
"Families trusted this business and were deceived," said Marshall. "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. The theft from people mourning the dead is not just a crime; it's despicable. Those who prey on grief will face justice."
The couple was arrested last August after an investigation by the Thomasville Police Department and the Attorney General's Consumer Interest Division. Marshall thanked the Clarke County District Attorney's Office for their assistance.
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