‘One-of-a-kind’ statue vandalized at Leavitt’s Mortuary & Aultorest Memorial Park

OGDEN — Information is being sought and a reward offered after a statue of Jesus Christ — commissioned by Gordon B. Hinckley in the 1990s and placed recently at Leavitt’s Mortuary & Aultorest Memorial Park — was vandalized over the weekend.

“Our hearts are shattered to share that our beloved Jesus statue, which was placed in our park only a week ago, has been vandalized,” a Facebook post from the mortuary read. “This is a painful loss for our community, as it was a symbol of peace, inspiration and solace for so many.”

The post noted that police have been notified about the incident and that a $2,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can help law enforcement and the mortuary identify the individuals responsible.

Sarah Moser, marketing/media specialist at Leavitt’s Mortuary, told the Standard-Examiner that the 7-foot-tall statue was commissioned by the late Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints president in 1998 and that it formerly stood in the mezzanine at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

“A gentleman reached out to us a couple weeks ago and said, ‘Hey, I have this beautiful statue. I’m trying to sell it. Would you guys display it?’ So, we agreed because it’s gorgeous,” Moser said.

She added that the statue’s mold was destroyed after its casting, making it a “one-of-a-kind” piece of art, and that its value was estimated to be “well over $200,000.”

According to Moser, two men approached the statue around 8 p.m. Sunday. They removed the lights surrounding the statue and then proceeded to cover it with blue and black spray paint.

While the people responsible were recorded by the mortuary’s security camera, Moser said no clear shots of their faces were captured. Now, the trust that owns the statue is working on a claim with its insurance company.

Moser added that vandalism has occurred at the park before but that it’s a rare occurrence and the damage is usually reparable.

“Our mausoleum probably does get the most vandalism out of anything, but it’s not very frequent,” she said. “And it’s just a broken vase or a little graffiti that can be removed from a wall. … All of it’s pretty reversible. This is the only thing that I just don’t think is reversible.”

Leavitt’s Mortuary asks that anyone looking to provide information related to this incident call the Ogden City Police Department or contact the mortuary directly via phone at 801-394-5556 or email office@leavittsmortuary.com.