Detectives have arrested three individuals in connection with the burglary and theft of a rare Abraham Lincoln statue from Houmas House and Gardens in Darrow, Louisiana.
The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office reported that the burglary occurred overnight on Saturday, September 6. Authorities found a broken window where the suspects forced their way inside before stealing the 64-pound solid silver statue, crafted by renowned sculptor Gutzon Borglum, famous for Mount Rushmore. The statue’s historic value is estimated at $166,000.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects dismantled the statue and sold parts of it at a pawn shop and a gold and silver shop in Metairie.
The following suspects have been identified and taken into custody:
Steve Coronado, 28, of Raceland
Alma Fontenot, 20, of New Iberia
Bruce Shelvin, 49, of Avondale
Fontenot and Shelvin were booked into the Ascension Parish Jail on charges of simple burglary and felony theft over $25,000. Coronado remains in the Jefferson Parish Jail on related charges and will be transferred to Ascension Parish at a later date.
