A great industry loss and ghouls

As many of you may know the herp industry lost and great member, Curt Johnson Died this week. That is the loss.

Now the ghoul part,

The family of Curt had not even had time to get over the shock when people started knocking on the front door demanding snakes in several different manors.

Some of the reasons were,

Curt told me last week and said I can have all his snakes

If you (the family) keep the snakes w/o a venomous permit the state will arrest you.

I will take the snakes and sell them for you

and many more.

A little back gound, Curt had most likely 1 of the rarest collection of hots in the country Like Golds tree cobras, hypo king cobras, proven blackheads python ect... he had at anytime over a 100 snakes in this caliber. cash value of over $25,000.

I have known Curt for about 2 or 3 years and he had came to my home alot. He was a great man that at times would give a snake to you and not want a dime for it. He often called his snakes his kids and would never want the collect broken up and sold.

Now within 24 hours of his death the following people started knocking on the front door wanting snakes.

Robby Kassy Glades herps
Joe Facci (sp) Southeast reptiles
Stephen Crawford Southeast reptiles
Robert Edwards

According to Curt's family the above named people took the snakes and told them that the snakes were worth only 2k for all 100 plus snakes and the family did not any better until the snakes were gone. Now the family has called in the FWC and Tampa police to get all the snakes back. In cluding the snakes that Kassy and Edwards have already sold. Some laws have been broken by fwc standards.

The Family is keeping me informed and as at least one of the ghouls has paid the price for stealing from the dead, the animals that he took are now safely in the control of the fwc and he can tell the judge why he did it.

The family holds great hope that all the snakes will be returned this week, fwc is working hard for the family.

If you hear or are offered any rare snakes from the above snakes please contact the officer at 813.376.2268 this is his cell #.

The sales of these snakes are to go to the family for upcoming bills.

Thank you.

I hope the family gets their snakes back. Curt might have taken some on loan from the others. I don't know, but this makes me think that anyone, male/female, should prepare IF in the advent of a death, that the surviving spouses/significant others, know what to do with the collection.
I have told my wife what to do with my collection if I should die, and who should take them. I trust this person to sell and give the money to my wife for expenses.
I know this is morbid, but it's something we should think about.

Lancehead, You are so correct, It is just sad that it takes a act like this to remind us that the day will come.

In some small way Curt did this, He kept great records with photos and microchip # along with what snakes were on loan and who owned it.

It just makes my skin crawl to (now) know in fact that there are people that will steal from the departed. I hope that they all share the same cell and people knock on the doors of thier houses and demand the snakes that are there.

Picture this,

Knock , knock Hi MS. Crawford, Facci, Edwards or Kassy My name is Tieman and I actually own these snake, they were on loan. I know that your other half just got arrested, I passed them in the driveway. I will start packing them up now, thank you.

or the same beginning but with, I will take these $20,000 worth of snakes and sell them so you and your kids and pay rent on your old trailer and buy food. I will return someday with $2,000.

or this,
If you keep these snakes you will go to jail so you have to give them to me.

Rob,
If what you write is true I say you should have titled thread
A great industry loss and the LOW LIFE SCUM BAGS that want to make a profit from deceiving his grieving family.
Too bad you didn't put the bad guy names in title of this thread as it would have shown up when a search was done on any of them. I believe a new low has been reached on the BOI!

I have been reading the BOI for years but this is my first post. It make me sick to think of what these people(?) have done. I was always under the impression that humanity out grew this "GRAVE ROBBING" in the dark ages. I have read about all sorts of scumbags on this site but I do think that we now have the all time leaders in the scum dept. and its a 4 way tie.

You could ask admin to lock this thread and start another one properly titled.

That would be great, if they will do it.

Then what make the headline something like

kassy, crawford Facci and edwards stole from a dead man.

or something like: Curt Johnson dies and ......... have stolen his snakes from his family.

Rob, Take a few minutes and copy your posts in this thread. Start a new one within the BOI with a correct title. Please include the subjects names within the title of the thread as per the BOI rules. Thanks, this thread will be locked.