According to WJBK-TV, 93-year-old Clarence Bright's body was found in the home of one of the unidentified siblings, a 48-year-old man, following tips from family members. His 38-year-old brother was also taken into custody.
Bright's body was allegedly taken from a mausoleum at a local cemetery, where it was stored because weather conditions forced his Jan. 12 funeral to be canceled. When cemetery workers attempted to bury him on Monday, they said, they found a van driving away with the body still inside the casket.
Though a search of the elder son's house on Monday yielded no evidence, police found both the van and the casket at a gas station the next day, which led to them finding the body inside a freezer in his basement.
"In the interview with the son, he was very, very, very distraught," said Lieutenant Harold Rochon, according to the Associated Press. "In an interview of the son, he is very religious, and he was hoping his father would be resurrected. He was hoping for a miracle."
The two siblings may be charged with disinternment, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in jail. Investigators said they may ask for a forensic investigation to determine whether to pursue charges against them.
Bright's body has been returned to a local funeral home while the family seeks a new casket for him to be buried in.
"This is a very, very bizarre situation," an employee at the facility told the AP.
Watch WJBK's report on the theft, aired Jan. 15, 2013, below.
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