In a case that struck at families already in mourning, a Bexar County judge on Monday sentenced Elena Moreno Sanchez to six years in prison for taking money for cemetery headstones that never showed up. The 49-year-old was found to have stolen about $50,000 from at least 16 families, according to court testimony. Judge Stephanie Boyd handed down the punishment in the 187th Criminal District Court and barred Moreno from working in the funeral or home-health industries or around minors.
Judge Hands Down Six-Year Term
According to KSAT, Moreno was sentenced just before noon after pleading guilty in October to theft of property valued between $30,000 and $150,000. Prosecutors brought in witnesses who said they had paid for monuments that never appeared, and court records show Moreno had been ordered to repay $50,000 in restitution. Judge Boyd pointed to the victims’ emotional testimony as a key factor in deciding on a prison term within the state’s sentencing range.
Victims Told The Court How They Were Affected
“What was delivered by Ms. Moreno (Sanchez) was pain, agony (and) torture for me, my family and the loss of my husband,” one witness testified in court, as reported by KSAT. That same witness told the court that Moreno now works at another San Antonio-area funeral business but does not handle money there, a detail that unsettled families who felt burned once already.
Moreno addressed the judge and said she was “heartbroken,” blaming pandemic-related delays and personal problems for the missing headstones. She asked for community supervision instead of prison time, but the judge ultimately rejected that request.
What Texas Law Allows
Under Texas law, theft of property worth between $30,000 and $150,000 is a third-degree felony, punishable by two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, per the Texas Penal Code. That sentencing range framed the charge Moreno admitted to and set the boundaries for what prosecutors and the judge could seek. Judges can also order restitution, limit where a defendant can work and impose other conditions as part of a sentence.
How Families Tracked The Business
Consumer complaints and the Better Business Bureau eventually put a harsh spotlight on Angelic Monuments, which was flagged for failing to deliver memorials that customers said they had paid for. The BBB lists Angelic Monuments at 2815 Commercial Avenue and gives the business an F rating. Families gathered their contracts, receipts and other paperwork, then reported the missing headstones to police, setting the stage for the criminal case in the 187th Criminal District Court at the Bexar County courthouse.
The saga has renewed local calls for clearer, detailed receipts and tougher oversight for companies that sell memorial services to grieving families, who assume that when they pay for a headstone, it will not be the one thing that never shows up at the cemetery.
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