Body Count May Rise in Chicago Grave Robbing Scandal

COOK COUNTY, ILL. (CBS) The body count may rise at a Chicago cemetery, where police have already found hundreds of desecrated graves, according to Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart's comments during a Friday press conference.

"We're expecting a lot more families today, especially coming up this weekend. We're pleading with them for patience, because we had about 3,000 people here yesterday," Dart said.

Four suspects are already in custody in, what police say, was a plot that ripped up as many as 300 graves in a historic black cemetary in order to resell the plots for cash.

Many of the bodies were moved to a mass grave, but police are finding body parts in the woods and it's not yet clear where all the bodies have gone and how many are missing.

Carolyn Towns, Keith Nicks, Terrence Nicks, and Maurice Dailey have all been charged with dismembering a human body, a felony that carries up to 30 years in prison.

Reverend Jesse Jackson also spoke at the press conference. He suggested families might want to start a class action suit and offered legal assistance.

"Some people need some legal organization as they prepare for a class action suit," he said.

PREVIOUSLY ON CRIMESIDER
July 10, 2009 - Grave Trouble for Alleged Grave Robbers
July 9, 2009 - 300 Bodies Dug Up for Profit, Say Police