NATRONA HEIGHTS, Pa. — The case of a local funeral home director charged with fraud for taking money meant to cremate pets then allegedly dumping them in a landfill, is back in the spotlight.
11 Investigates learned Patrick Vereb’s former Natrona Heights funeral home was sold to a local chiropractor. It could be a significant asset in the criminal and civil cases against him.
After PA Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against Vereb this past spring, his Natrona Heights funeral home on Freeport Road was put on the market for $1.2 million. It sold for $950,000 to Dr. Dawn Spale who owns Allegheny Health and Physical Medicine.
When he was in Pittsburgh last month, we asked Sunday if Vereb’s assets would be frozen to reimburse victims who lost thousands.
“We will utilize every tool we have to do everything we can to make people whole,” Sunday told 11 Investigates. “And that’s really the best any of us can hope for.”
Families are also asking why the investigation by the AG’s Office only goes back to 2021 when Vereb operated his pet business nearly a decade before that, from 2012 or earlier and on. We’ve asked the Attorney General’s Office this exact question, but we haven’t been given an answer yet.
Some families who used Vereb for pet cremation services say they reached out to the AG’s office months ago to find out if their pet was or wasn’t cremated and they’re still waiting for an answer.
Tiffany Mantzouridis used to work for Vereb. She says she collected as much evidence against Vereb as she could before quitting and going directly to police. She says office records show 30,000 animals went through Vereb’s doors during the time he operated Eternity Pet Memorial.
“It was around 100 a week,” Mantzouridis said. “That’s a lot of animals and the longer they let it go on, the more animals came in.”
Dawn Elder and her beloved cat, Ava were victims. Elder says she reached out to the Attorney General’s Office to ask if investigators were going to look into alleged crimes before 2021.
“It’s been a no, we can’t go back because of the statute or we can’t do it because of whatever reason or we don’t get an answer,” Elder tells 11 Investigates.
As Mantzouridis prepares for the possibility of testifying at Vereb’s trial, she continues to be haunted by what she saw when working for Vereb.
“Witnessing it and seeing some of the things that happened there, I have nightmares,” Mantzouridis said. “It’s affected my life in so many ways.”
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