Mother Furious Over Daughter’s Desecrated Grave

A Las Cruces mother says it makes her stomach turn knowing that heavy duty trucks constantly drive over her daughter’s grave site. Stella Martinez says the state of her daughter’s burial site is simply sad and embarrassing.

“I’ve laid sod. I’ve laid tile. I’ve laid white rock. I’ve done everything to try and make her little yard a little more pleasant,” Martinez told ABC-7.

Dirt, debris and tire tracks cover the grave site of Christina Nevarez at the Masonic Cemetary in central Las Cruces. Martinez said she’s been asking the management to clean the area up for years, especially in time for the 15th anniversary of her daughter’s death.

Nevarez died March 16, 1997, of alcohol poisoning. Martinez said it’s downright disrespectful for trucks to drive over her daughter’s grave.

“You cannot imagine the feeling or just the dumb thoughts that go through my mind that her little body is rattling in her grave every time they drive over her. It’s just sickening,” Martinez said.

Chief Executive Officer Pat Denchok said he completely understands Martinez’s concerns.

“We are very apologetic. Unfortunately, we have no choice. We have to move dirt with tractors,” Denchok said.

It’s not just the trucks Martinez is upset about. A quick glance around the cemetery shows the row of graves where Nevarez’s grave is located is the only row without grass and full of debris.

“I would like to have grass. I’d love to come and sit on an evening and just sit on the grass and talk, pray, just feel the fresh air,” Martinez said.

The cemetery is owned by the Aztec Masonic Lodge of Las Cruces. Chief Executive Officer Pat Denchok told ABC-7 since he took the position about a year ago, cleaning up that row of graves has been a priority for him.

“We are very familiar with this issue. It’s a complicated situation. When it’s done, it will be grass like the rest,” Denchok said. “Something happened to that row, but we will water it.”

Denchok said they brought in a surveyor to start leveling out that patch of land so it can be watered properly and the grass can be restored.

Martinez said she just hopes they follow through with their promises this time.

“Until they have felt the pain of death, they cannot imagine how something as simple as this can be so hurtful,” Martinez said.

Denchok said the restoration project should by the end of this summer.

“I think Mrs. Martinez will be very pleased when it’s done. It’s going to look better than ever,” Denchok said.