Man charged in connection with pet urn theft

SALT LAKE CITY — A West Valley City man has been charged for allegedly broking into a Salt Lake City home and stealing electronics and two urns containing pet ashes.

When Robb McPhail and his wife returned home from vacation in November they noticed the missing items and a broken window on their back door. McPhail posted an ad on KSL.com telling the thief to keep the electronics and other stolen items, but asking for the urns with the ashes of their dogs Nittany and Griffey, to be returned.

The urn with Nittany's ashes was recovered when a week earlier, police arrested Jose Martinez, 21, on an unrelated case, according to documents filed in the 3rd District Court. The charges state police noticed a cedar box urn with the name Nittany engraved on it in Martinez' vehicle.

According to the charges, Salt Lake City detectives matched fingerprints found in McPhail's home with Martinez' fingerprints.

Martinez was charged with burglary and theft, both second-degree felonies, the charges state.

— Hunter Schwarz