Romeoville man charged with stealing rings off dead woman

A 36-year-old Romeoville man has been charged with two felony counts of theft after stealing a diamond ring off the body of a dead person at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

Frederick B. Tapley, of Romeoville, stole a diamond engagement and wedding ring set off a Lombard cancer patient who was being moved to the morgue after having just died at the hospital on July 2, said Sgt. David Bormann of the Downers Grove Police Department.

He then sold the ring to a jewelry store in Lansing, Bormann said.

The woman's family noticed the ring was missing when viewing the body at a funeral home and notified police, Bormann said.

Police officers interviewed Tapley, who confessed to taking the rings and selling the it to the jewelry store, he said.

The rings were recovered and returned to the family, Bormann said.

Tapley has not been arrested, Bormann said, but is making arrangements to turn himself in to police. It's unclear when he will appear in bond court, Bormann said.