Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing SUV with Casket, Body Inside in East Pasadena

A 25-year-old man who stole a Lincoln Navigator hearse with a woman’s body inside from in front of a church in East Pasadena pleaded guilty Friday to two felony counts and was sentenced to 16 months behind bars.

James Juarez pleaded guilty to one count each of fleeing a peace officer’s vehicle while driving recklessly and driving or taking a vehicle without consent.

Juarez stole the black SUV around 8 p.m. Feb. 26 from in front of St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church in the 700 block of South Rosemead Boulevard, prompting a plea from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to return it and the body.

“Out of all the bad decisions you have made, at least make one good one & bring back the deceased person & casket inside the Navigator,” the sheriff’s department tweeted that night.

About 7:35 the following morning, someone spotted the Navigator and notified authorities, and Los Angeles Police Department officers began chasing the vehicle near 23rd and Figueroa streets.

The chase went onto the nearby southbound Harbor (110) Freeway, and the SUV crashed about 7:50 a.m. on the freeway near Vernon Avenue. At least one other vehicle was involved in the crash, and one person was taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.

The casket and body were inside the SUV, and Juarez was taken into custody.

It was reported that the driver had left the keys to the Navigator in the ignition when he stopped by the church.