Heartless creeps keep vandalizing the grave of country music legend Charlie Daniels, according to his family and surviving bandmates.
In the latest incident, someone stole a freshly planted dogwood tree from the plot, in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. It was at least the third time people have messed with the “Devil Went Down to Georgia” singer’s final resting place, according to his surviving bandmates, who go by Team CDB and include Charlie Daniels Jr.
“Thanks to someone stealing a dogwood sapling & watering bag this weekend (seriously!) & someone gluing a spouse’s military ID on the marble of Charlie’s marker a few months ago, [Mount Juliet Police Department] will be increasing patrols near his grave & video surveillance will soon be installed,” the band members wrote on the Instagram site.
The Charlie Daniels Band said someone glued a spouse’s military ID to the marble a few months ago and damaged the grave. Then, someone dug up a newly planted dogwood tree and took it.https://t.co/mat87nBt1K
— Ethan Illers (@EthanIllers_TV) June 30, 2022
No police reports were filed on the tree theft or military ID, Mt. Juliet Police Department Capt. Tyler Chandler said. But the department was asked to increase patrol because of the incidents, and police are complying with the request. In addition to stepped up police patrols, the late singer’s family has installed surveillance equipment at the grave in hopes of deterring ghoulish vandals.
“I hope Charlie Daniels haunted that person,” tweeted a fan named Ashley.
“What is wrong with people who disrespect the dead by vandalizing graves?” tweeted Mary Marks. “I just don’t understand it! Sad that you have to put security cameras by final resting places.”
Daniels had millions of fans, but was especially popular among military veterans, according to his family. Since his death two years ago, fans have left mementos at the site, but not all the observances have been respectful.
“[Recently] an expired military dependent (spouse’s) ID of a woman who has since been divorced from her military spouse was superglued to the marble on the marker,” Team CDB wrote in response to a TasteofCountry.com article about the ongoing vandalism. “The family welcomes anyone leaving items, what they do not want is to have items glued to the marker, or have any trees that the family planted nearby (with the full consent of the cemetery owner) dug up and stolen.
Daniels, who died July 6, 2020 at age 83 in Nashville after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke, was known for his blazing fiddle playing and staunch patriotism. He was also a deeply religious man, and his grave marker bears his favorite bible passage from Psalm 91.