another question re: "find-a-grave" (public, sibling, cemetery, possible)

[Tia 914]

This has gotta be the most unusual situation I've ever heard of on this topic, and wonder what you guys think about it:

Is it illegal or anything else for someone to misrepresent himself as being dead? I'm referring to having a tombstone inscribed with a fake "death date," and set up in a public cemetery.
I noted the "created by" section, and the "memorial" was put on find-a-grave by one of the individual's relatives, and it says the creator's email address is inactive.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by Tia 914

This has gotta be the most unusual situation I've ever heard of on this topic, and wonder what you guys think about it:

Is it illegal or anything else for someone to misrepresent himself as being dead? I'm referring to having a tombstone inscribed with a fake "death date," and set up in a public cemetery.
I noted the "created by" section, and the "memorial" was put on find-a-grave by one of the individual's relatives, and it says the creator's email address is inactive.

It's odd -- but might not be illegal. Besides we don't have enough information. If he faked his own death -- he wouldn't have set up a cemetery plot -- he'd have been fake dead. It also could have been he bought a plot and headstone and the death date was carved in the wrong stone -- as in David Smith died and they engraved David Jones' headstone.

And then again -- anything is possible.

[historyfan]

Memorial markers can be purchased even if no burial at that cemetery.

I have seen married/widowed/remarried people have more than one marker, but not a marker with deathdate for someone living. Could it be misidentified? Like a younger sibling death marker with that name used a second time? I had that issue with a Jr dying years before Sr, but marker identified as the senior's.

Is this a present day situation that seems suspicious? Is there an actual photo of stone or is it just a written entry for purported internment?

[prospectheightsresident]

Just doing it for the heck of it would, while weird, likely be protected by the First Amendment. It would only be a problem if someone is trying to commit a fraud.

[Delahanty]

Lol erecting a tombstone to reflect a "fake death?" The First Amendment has nothing to do with it.

I didn't know we were so restrictive around here, because our cemeteries (private and public) have quite an established protocol about about what's erected on those properties and how it's to be done. As a matter of fact, so do the monument companies.

[prospectheightsresident]

The OP asked: "Is it illegal or anything else for someone to misrepresent himself as being dead?" Since the OP is questioning the legality (not protocols established by private companies) of misrepresenting one's death in this manner, the First Amendment very much comes into play here.

[littlecalamity]

Some people, convinced that their ancestor is buried in a certain place but unable to locate a tombstone, have retroactively erected a tombstone. It's a problem in genealogy, because the location (and even the dates) may be completely wrong. They aren't committing a crime, just trying to memorialize a dead ancestor.

I've found at least one relative on findagrave with tombstones in two different places. His first wife died, and when he buried her he put up a joint tombstone with his name and DOB on it, but then remarried and ended up buried in a different cemetery with his second wife. Only the actual burial site has his death date on it.