Remains of man buried next to wife he beat to death to be removed

ELYRIA, Ohio – The remains of a man who beat his wife to death in 1993 will be removed from their current spot right over her grave.

Elyria officials plan to disinter the remains of Marvin Dallas on Thursday at the request of Mary Dallas' family, The Chronicle-Telegram reported.

Crystal Denn, Mary Dallas' daughter from a previous marriage, had noticed a patch of overturned earth at her mother's grave a few months ago. Denn checked with Brookdale Cemetery and was appalled to learn that Marvin Dallas' cremated remains had been buried this year over his wife, as his will requested.

Elyria Safety Service Director Mary Siwierka said the owner of Mary Dallas' burial plot, her brother David Ivey, made a request Wednesday to move the remains, and the city will do so.

Officials say the city and funeral home weren't aware that Marvin Dallas was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in her beating death and spent 12 years in prison for the crime. He died in January at 60.

Mary Dallas died Feb. 7, 1993, at a domestic violence shelter she fled to after being beaten.

According to court records, Marvin Dallas became upset with his 33-year-old wife two days earlier and had accused her of taking his wallet containing $700.

Siwierka said Busch Funeral Home, which handled Marvin Dallas' burial, had been in contact with his daughter and the family won't challenge the removal. His remains will be given to his children.

Tony Dallas, Marvin Dallas' nephew, said he doesn't believe there was malice behind the decision to bury Marvin Dallas with his wife.

"I'm truly sorry about what happened," he said.

Denn said she's happy she'll be able to visit her mother's grave without being near the remains of her killer. Denn still plans to change her mother's gravestone, which now reads "Beloved Wife," to something reflecting that she was a beloved mother.

Siwierka said the city is waiving the $650 fee it normally charges to disinter remains at Brookdale because of the unusual circumstances surrounding Marvin Dallas' burial.