A quiet Kinston cemetery turned into a crime scene on Wednesday when, according to police, a masked man armed with two swords was caught in the act of smashing gravestones. Officers say at least 14 graves at Maplewood Cemetery were damaged, with early estimates putting repairs at about $2,000 per monument. Court records identify the suspect as 34-year-old Kinston resident Bobby Jackson.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Kinston police said in a Facebook post that officers found a masked male inside the 25-acre Maplewood Cemetery, armed with two swords and actively striking headstones. The department reported that he initially refused to drop the weapons, then complied once additional officers arrived, and that he was taken into custody without any reported injuries. The paper reviewed court records that list the charges.
Scene at Maplewood
Maplewood is one of several municipal cemeteries maintained by the city’s Buildings & Grounds department, which handles both upkeep and repairs for city-owned burial sites. City information lists the department as the main point of contact for questions about cemetery maintenance, plots and general care, which now includes coordinating how to fix the damaged headstones.
Charges and Next Steps
Court documents reviewed by The Charlotte Observer state that Jackson faces 14 counts of felony defacing or desecrating grave sites, along with charges of communicating threats, resisting a public officer and carrying a concealed weapon. The warrant alleges he threatened to murder a detective and a police officer during the incident. As of the filings cited by the paper, prosecutors and the sheriff’s office had not yet released a court date.
Investigation and Community Impact
Police say the investigation remains active and are asking anyone with video or information to contact Kinston law enforcement. The reported damage to multiple family plots has left relatives and local officials weighing both the emotional toll and the financial hit of restoring older headstones to their original condition.
