Gonzales Family Demands Cemetery Buy Back Mausoleum After Son's Ashes Stolen

LAFAYETTE, Calif., June 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A family is demanding a StoneMor California cemetery take back a $3.2-million mausoleum once containing their son's ashes.

The family of technology pioneer and Commerce One founder, Thomas Gonzales II, says pure negligence allowed thieves to plunder the family's mausoleum at the Oakmont Memorial Park Cemetery in Lafayette, Calif., in January of 2011 and steal an urn containing Gonzales' remains.

Thieves walked off with the remains only days after an initial break-in attempt went unreported by the cemetery to police.

Now the $3.2-million marble mausoleum in the Lafayette cemetery stands empty with only broken glass on the floor—relatives say it's a cold reminder of their son's tragic and untimely loss. Gonzales died on Dec. 5, 2001 at the age of 35, after an eight-month battle with gastric cancer.

The Gonzales family poured four years and multi-millions into the design and custom-build of a white marble mausoleum befitting their son's memory.

"Now, the mausoleum has no value to my family," said Gonzales' father, Tom Gonzales, Sr. "The sight of it causes my family so much pain and suffering we think it's only right for Oakmont to be held accountable."

The family sued StoneMor California, a division of StonMor Partners LP (NYSE:STON), on June 12, 2012 for a minimum of $3.2 million (Case No. C12-01384), accusing the national cemetery operator of negligently allowing thieves to walk off with their son's remains and for failing to alert the family of a previous security breach.  

Days prior to the January 16, 2011 theft, a groundskeeper at the Oakmont Cemetery noticed damage to the mausoleum's steel frame doors. Yet, no one from Oakmont cemetery notified the Gonzales family. 

Three days later, thieves once again broke onto the property and stole the bronze urn containing Gonzales' remains. Police never recovered the ashes, despite a full-scale investigation and a large reward, which the family still is offering today.

"The sheer lack of regard for the Gonzales family and the unconscionable negligence of the StoneMor operators has led to this tragic theft," said Gonzales family attorney Harvey Stein of Oakland.

"No monetary value will be enough to compensate the family for the pain caused by this tragedy. The sadness of Thomas's early death is only compounded by the desecration of his tomb," he added.

Gonzales and his father co-founded Commerce One Inc., a pioneering Internet company in Pleasanton that became one of the fastest-growing firms in Nasdaq history.

Photos of mausoleum and cemetery map provided upon request.

Contact: Sam Singer or Alex Doniach
Phone: 415.227.9700
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Gonzales Family