Hells Angels allegedly used ‘pizza oven’ funeral home to get rid of bodies
A member of Hells Angels used a funeral home known as the "pizza oven" to get rid of victims' bodies, it has emerged.
Federal prosecutors have detailed the gruesome tactics employed by Merl Hefferman, a member of the Hells Angels of Sonoma County, in disposing of bodies linked to the notorious biker gang. The shocking revelations came to light during the prosecution's sentencing memorandum last week, shedding light on a macabre series of events that unfolded at a Fresno funeral home.
Hefferman, 54, was accused of directing the illegal cremation of Joel Silva, a murdered Hells Angels member, at a funeral home known among gang members as the "pizza oven." Prosecutors alleged that Silva's case was just one of four bodies that Hefferman orchestrated to be illegally cremated, causing immense pain to the victims' families.
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The investigation alleged that Hefferman, in a purposeful and premeditated manner, obstructed justice by making the bodies disappear, the Los Angeles Times reported. His connection at the Fresno funeral home, Levi Phipps, played a significant role in these sinister acts. Phipps, the crematory manager, testified that Hefferman instructed him to dispose of the bodies, leaving grieving families without closure for years.
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Merl Hefferman orchestrated illegal cremation of four bodies at Fresno funeral home (Merl Hefferman/Facebook)
Victims, including Joel Silva, denied families closure, leaving them in perpetual agony (Merl Hefferman/Facebook)Hefferman pleaded guilty in December to obstructing justice in Silva's case, although he has not been charged or convicted for the other alleged cremations. This revelation was part of a broader racketeering case against 12 members of the Hells Angels of Sonoma County. In related convictions, three other gang members, including Brian Wendt, Jonathan Nelson, and Russell Taylor Ott, were found guilty of Silva's murder.
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During the sentencing memorandum, prosecutors suggested that Silva was not the only victim of the Hells Angels' deadly activities. Three other bodies, including those of gang members Robbie Huff and Art Carasis, were allegedly disposed of at the same funeral home. The timeline of these illegal cremations corresponded with the disappearances of the victims.
Prosecutors expose sinister activities, shedding light on the gang's macabre secrets (Google Maps)Hefferman's attorney, James Bustamante, vehemently opposed the prosecutors' attempt to tie his client to additional body disposals, arguing that the evidence lacked credibility. Despite these claims, the shocking details have sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the sinister underbelly of the criminal activities involving the Hells Angels of Sonoma County.
The sentencing of Merl Hefferman is scheduled for Thursday. Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of more than seven years in prison, while Hefferman's defence has requested a term of two and a half years.
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