CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — A 71-year-old woman from Corpus Christi has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of theft and exploitation after allegedly failing to deliver headstones to grieving families.
Patricia Sue Osborn, the former owner of Corpus Christi Memorials, was taken into custody on Sunday following indictments in December for five felonies. Additional charges have since been filed against her.
The arrest comes after a series of reports by KRIS 6 News and KZTV beginning in 2021, which uncovered the company's failure to provide headstones despite receiving payment from customers.
Last year, 6 Investigates reported that 60 people had reached out to KRIS 6 News, sharing similar experiences of ordering and paying for headstones or burial markers that were never delivered.
The company had abruptly closed its doors months earlier without notifying its customers.
Samantha Villarreal, who had used the small payout from her father's life insurance to order a headstone from Osborn, expressed her disbelief at the situation.
"I just can't imagine anyone doing this to people who are grieving their loved ones," Samantha Villarreal told 6 Investigates at the time.
Despite making payments for the headstone, Villarreal experienced continuous delays in delivery. When she requested a refund, she said it was ignored.
"I don't think I have been so upset in my life because it's my dad," Villarreal said.
Osborn remains in custody and has a bond hearing Monday afternoon.
This is a developing story, follow KRIS 6 News for updates.
