The State - News from Aug. 27, 1986

Vandals broke or knocked over 14 gravestones and removed the remains of a man from his grave at a cemetery in Denair, and Stanislaus County authorities said they were afraid of a possible outbreak of devil worship. “It could just be kids doing typical-type vandalism,” Sheriff’s Detective Randy Cerny said. But a fire-burned circle near the disinterred body, he said, raised the definite possibility of “some type of satanic cult ritual.” The body was subsequently reburied, but Cerny said the investigation will continue.