Thread: Police solve mystery behind Trump tombstone in Central Park

May 09, 2016, 09:58 pm

Police solve mystery behind Trump tombstone
in Central Park

By Mark Hensch



Police in New York City have identified the individual behind a mysterious tombstone bearing Donald Trump’s name, a new report says.

Authorities on Monday said Brian A. Whitely, 33, placed the ominous monument in Central Park late last March, according to The New York Times.

The paper on Monday reported that Whitely has not been charged with a crime related to the incident.Reports emerged in late March that New York City officials had removed a tombstone from Central Park’s Sheeps Meadows area.

The artifact featured Trump’s name inscribed in stone beneath a cross. The faux-memorial also listed his birth year of 1946, but did not specify a year of death for the outspoken billionaire.

“Make America Hate Again,” the monument’s epitaph read, a twist on Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.

The New York Times reported that police gained their first clue to Whitely’s identity from an anonymous interview he gave the website Gothamist on April 2. It showed the tombstone in a tile showroom, leading investigators to explore New York City for headstone makers with similar locations.

Officer Donald Sadowy and Sgt. David Cuce identified the store as Brooklyn’s Supreme Memorials on April 4.

“We were, honestly, smiling,” Sadowy said of encountering the same showroom from the picture. "We were kind of caught off guard.”

Monument dealer Michael Cassara said he named Whitely after officers showed him pictures of the tombstone.

“Hipster,” he said of Whitely. "He didn’t give us the details until we met a couple of times. I deal with a lot of these artists — I make a lot of crazy things. I do a lot of movie props, props for plays. 'I want to make a headstone for Michael Jackson.’”

Cassara then provided officers with Whitely’s name and security footage allegedly showing the artist loading the finished stone into a box truck with a dolly.

Cassara has not been charged related to the stunt, which occurred before Trump became the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

“He didn’t know where the tombstone was going to go,” Sadowy said.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/...one-in-central

I'm glad they got to the bottom of it and no harm was intended. It was still a creepy thing to do.