A Kentucky man and his friend allegedly exhumed the man’s grandmother to steal her jewelry.

Emily Howard’s been dead for 15 years. However, police said that didn’t stop grandson James Howard and pal Tea Jay Luster from robbing her grave. Martin County investigators told WSAZ that a passerby found the woman’s unearthed body at Stacy’s Cemetery on Sunday.

“When we got here they had definitely dug the grave up until the top of the vault and everything was exposed,” Sheriff John Kirk told WYMT.

Authorities said a tip led them to James and Luster (pictured left and right), who supposedly confessed to carrying out the desperate deed. The pair reportedly claimed they dug up Emily because they believed she had valuables they could sell.

“It hurt the family very much,” Emily’s grandson-in-law, George Jude, told the local station. “They really weren’t expecting it to be part of the family that did it.”

“The Devil’s got so many people blinded with the drugs and the things that nothing will surprise you, they’ll do anything to get what they want.”

Jude revealed to WYMT that Emily wasn’t buried with jewelry, despite being known for wearing it while alive. He said his grandmother-in-law’s coffin was adorned with a couple pictures and a porcelain doll.

James and Luster were arrested Tuesday morning and charged with violating graves.

After learning of what he’d done, James father, Oda Howard, had some stern advice for his son.

“He needs to get his issues straightened out,” he said.

[Featured Image: Martin County Sheriff’s Office]