Funeral home​ formerly owned by Patrick Vereb vandalized, new owner says

A funeral home in Pittsburgh at the center of a criminal case has been vandalized.

The funeral home formerly owned by Patrick Vereb — who is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from pet owners for pet cremations that were never done — was spray-painted over the weekend with the message, "My dog loved the trash ... jokes on you," according to the building's new owner. 

She spoke with KDKA-TV on Monday to set the record straight about what's happening there.

"I get side eyes from people walking past," new owner Shamiah Coulverson said. 

Vereb Funeral Homes and Eternity Pet Memorial is now House of Paradise Cremation and Funeral Care. Coulverson purchased the property a little over a month ago from Vereb. The new business is set to open in a couple of weeks. 

"It was a confused person that may have still been dealing with pain and grief over their pet," Coulverson said on Monday. "I have nothing to do with any of the allegations. I feel for the families that have dealt with their pets not being disposed of correctly."

Vereb is currently awaiting trial on allegations that he took money in exchange for private cremation services, then disposed of many of the pets at a landfill and provided customers with ashes of other, unknown animals.

House of Paradise Cremation and Funeral Care doesn't offer cremation services for pets. Coulverson said she wants to put the past to rest.

"I can understand that it's a bad taste in their mouth, but each community should have a funeral home that they can trust their families and loved ones with, and we are trying to be that," she said.

Coulverson said she has no intention of pursuing this matter criminally. She says she'll paint over it and doesn't want this to happen again.