SAN FRANCISCO—On December 18, the San Francisco Police Department arrested Walter Morazan, 25, at 3:11 p.m. on Golden Gate Avenue near Larkin Street for multiple narcotics charges. The police issued a news release stating that they are currently investigating him for stealing a woman’s jacket that contained the cremated ashes of her child inside of a pocket.
Police say that on December 3, a 38-year-old woman stopped police officers who were patrolling the Tenderloin neighborhood at Golden Gate and Hyde Street because she said a man stole her jacket as she was standing outside of a local business. According to the police, her jacket was in her cart on the top. Within the jacket was a locket of her daughter’s cremated ashes.
“Investigators from the Tenderloin Station Investigation Team (SIT) commenced an investigation that uncovered surveillance video of the suspect,” the police indicated in a news release.
The San Francisco Police promptly issued a crime alert bulletin and members of the SFPD Narcotics Detail quickly identified the suspect as Walter Morazan, the authorities said.
The San Francisco Police arrested Morazan for two counts each of possession of a controlled substance for sale, probation violation, and two counts of violation of a court stay away order.
“The controlled substances seized from Morazan during this arrest are suspected to be heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl,” said the authorities.
Police indicated that both the jacket and the locket with the ashes is still missing and that part of the investigation is still in progress.
“The theft of her daughter’s ashes left the victim shaken,” Tenderloin Station Captain Carl Fabbri said in the news release. “Crimes like this also weigh on officers here at the station. We’re glad that we were able to arrest the suspect, but we’re disappointed that we were not able to recover the locket containing the ashes,” said Captain Fabbri.
The San Francisco Sherriff’s Office records reveal that Morazan is being held without bail and his next court appearance is set for December 23, at 8:30 a.m.
This is still considered an active investigation and authorities are asking for the public’s help to locate the locket and any additional information regarding Morazan. Call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
