Fake Cemetery Built To Keep Vagrants Away

A Houston, Texas, man had a fake cemetery built in his yard. The cemetery was added to the property after several incidents with vandalism, littering, and homeless people sleeping on the lawn.

The cemetery is fake, but the headstones are apparently real. The homeowner reportedly got the stones from a local company that specializes in headstones and monuments. As the headstones were flawed, they sold them to the man for use in his yard.

As reported by ABC News, Johnny Mack Chappell, Dee Brown Hancock, and Sandra Ruth Howen are all indeed real and deceased. Wayne Chappell, brother of Johnny Mack, was surprised to hear about the fake cemetery.

Wayne thinks it is great that someone used his brother’s rejected headstone in their front yard. He expects that his brother would have found it amusing as well.

Johnny Mack Chappell passed away in 1982, due to hardening of the arteries. He was a high school football star, and eventually a coach. Johnny Mack and his brother Wayne spent their childhood around three miles from the fake cemetery.

Wayne only has one complaint about the headstone. He understands the vagrant problem in that particular neighborhood, but states that he is “just curious what [the property owner] might have done to help the vagrants.”

KTRK News spoke with the homeowner, who is currently out of town. He explained his reasoning for the fake cemetery, and his regret that the headstones were originally meant for real people.

The cemetery has attracted the attention of neighbors due to the placement. It is unusual to find three headstones lined up on a residential property, over six months after Halloween.

At least one neighbor thinks the display is tasteless. Michael Vallery states, “Who would try to portray that? That’s crazy! He needs counseling.”

The property owner was not aware that the headstones named real people, but is content that his fake cemetery has kept vagrants out of his yard. The current condition of the yard is reportedly well-maintained, free from litter, and vandalism.

[Image via Flickr]