GREENE COUNTY — A Bedford man changed the locks on a tombstone store, claiming the store owner failed to make required payments.
WRTV Investigates reported on an increase in consumer complaints facing Austin Memorial Arts, a memorial business located at 323 N 250 W in Bloomfield.
Austin Memorial Arts is located on several pieces of land, including land owned by Richard King, owner of Austin Memorial Arts.
Austin Memorial Arts' main building is located on separate land owned by Richard and Mary Fennessy of Bedford.
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The Fennessys filed a lawsuit on April 3, alleging that Dr. King has not made any payments to the Fennessys since November 2023.
“It's unfortunate,” Richard Fennessy told WRTV Investigations' Kara Kenney.
According to the complaint, Mr. Fennessy and Mr. King entered into a “real estate sale agreement” in 2014 in which Mr. King agreed to purchase the property from Mr. Fennessy.
“He's been paying me for the past 10 years,” Fennessy said. “I don't know what happened.”
Customers told WRTV's Carla Kenney Investigates that the store closed in January without warning.
As part of the real estate agreement, King was required to pay $514 per month and annual property taxes, but has not paid any of them since November 2023, according to the complaint.
King also owes $2,568 in property taxes in 2023, according to the complaint.
The Fennessys are asking the court to terminate the sales contract in order to regain ownership of the property.
A hearing date has not yet been scheduled.
Richard Fennessy said he has changed the locks on the building that currently houses Austin Memorial Arts' large collection of tombstones and documents.
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Ms. Fennessy said she was unable to contact Richard King.
Fennessy said she has collected and organized the lawsuit-related documents that have come through the doors of Austin Memorial Arts.
A Bedford man wants to help his client get his headstone and money back and will wait for court direction.
As WRTV Investigates reported, dozens of Central Indiana families are suing Austin Memorial Arts, Richard King, or both, alleging they didn't get what they paid for. .
WRTV Investigates tallied 77 lawsuits alleging losses of more than $228,000.
As WRTV Investigates reported, Indiana State Police is conducting a criminal investigation into Austin Memorial Arts.
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When WRTV investigators stopped by on March 13, the doors were locked during business hours.
The interior of Austin Memorial Arts was filled with tombstones, desks with papers, and other signs of recent business operations.
WATCH | Family files dozens of lawsuits against Greene County headstone company
Family members file dozens of lawsuits against tombstone companies
WRTV Investigates investigated and found no business registered with the Indiana Secretary of State's office under the name “Austin Memorial Arts.”
King is listed on the Better Business Bureau website as the owner of Austin Memorial Arts.
WRTV spoke with numerous families after the March 13 court hearing in Greene County.
Greg Rudebusch of Worthington, Indiana, said he put down a $10,000 bond in December 2022 for a pyramid memorial for himself and his wife.
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“We're going to be cremated and put in the same box,” Rudebusch said. “I don't want my children to experience something like this.”
On February 16, Rudebush filed a small claims lawsuit against Austin Memorial Arts, which he later amended to include Richard King.
Rudebusch's case is still pending, with a hearing scheduled for May 8.
“I just want my stone,” Rudebusch said.
Other families WRTV spoke to said they were grieving the loss of a loved one, like Kimberly Walls.
Her father, Larry Martindale, died in a farming accident in September 2023.
“It was very unexpected, very sudden,” Walls said. “(King) claimed to be a friend of my father's and respected his father, and then he did this.”
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Walls said her family ordered a memorial from Austin Memorial Arts but did not receive it by the closing date in January 2024.
“I just don't understand how people can do this to people who are grieving,” Walls said.
They filed a lawsuit in small claims court and obtained a $3,745 judgment against Austin Memorial Arts and King on March 16.
“We'll never see it, but I'm hopeful that the state police will open a criminal case and that criminal charges will be filed,” Walls said. , a dank cell. ”
WRTV Investigators contacted Indiana State Police.
“Indiana State Police is conducting a criminal investigation into this matter,” said Sgt. He's Kevin Getz of ISP's Bloomington Post. “The Greene County Prosecutor's Office is aware of the active investigation into The Bloomington Post and urges any potential victims to contact us.” 812-332-4411”
A small claims hearing related to Austin Memorial Arts is scheduled for May.
The court has already handed down 11 judgments totaling more than $40,000, including $1,495 against Teresa Miller of Bloomington.
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“I can't believe so many people are being affected. They probably won't get their money back,” Miller said.
Two lawsuits were dismissed by consumers.
The majority of small claims cases remain pending, according to court records.
Richard King did not appear in court on March 13 as a judge interviewed more than a dozen family members.
WRTV Investigates went to court, but no attorney was available to represent King or Austin Memorial Arts.
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Since WRTV Investigates left Greene County, calls to Austin Memorial Arts have been hung up.
WRTV Investigates also emailed Mr. King and attempted to contact people believed to be members of Mr. King's family, but did not receive a response.
The Indiana Attorney General's Office received 10 complaints against Austin Memorial Arts for failing to provide refunds.
All 10 complaints are still listed as open, and none have been resolved, according to complaint logs obtained by WRTV from the Indiana Attorney General's Office.
