Five people accused of robbing a home in Marion County last month admit they stole and snorted what they thought was cocaine. Turns out, the powder was actually the ashes of a woman's father and her two Great Danes.
Deputies arrested 18 year old Matrix Andaluz, Waldo Soroa and Jose Marrero, both 19, and two juveniles in connection to a string of home robberies.
On December 15th, deputies say they broke a home in Silver Springs Shores and stole electronics, a box and envelope containing the ashes.
"We didn't know it was ashes," Marrero said. "We thought it was cocaine or something like that."
Marrero said he wanted to return the ashes, but all the items they took were later stolen from them.
"It's odd," said Holli Tencza, owner of the ashes. "I mean the dog remains are, they have large bone fragments in them."
Detectives are working with the Marion County Sheriff's Dive Team to locate the ashes once contained in zip-lock bags.