Get Marty: Family Heartbroken Over Roadside Memorial Theft

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A construction worker's widow says she feels thieves are taunting her family after a roadside memorial to her husband has now been stolen more than once.

A bucket-sized, mud-filled hole on a patch of grass on Greentree Road, dirt and rocks, it's all part of a gut-wrenching story.

It was on that spot on Nov. 15, 2012, where Antonio Scuilli's life ended. He was working an active construction site. He was crossing the street when a driver hit him.

"Threw him into the air, he landed on his head," said Scuilli's widow, Chris.

Scuilli was kept on life support for 15 days as there was nothing doctors could do.

The driver of the car that hit him was convicted of "careless driving resulting in unintentional death." She was fined $1,000.

Out of wood that Scuilli used for concrete, his safety helmet, and his "Italia" shirt - he was from the "old country," Chris and her four children made a memorial for dad and placed it on the site of his accident.

It was stolen.

They made another one, this time with his yellow construction vest. They encased it in concrete, weighing 100 pounds, but thieves stole it again. The Sciulli family was crushed.

"It's just a tragedy. I get comfort with it here," said Chris of the roadside memorial.

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The theft of the two monuments, leaving the muddy hole in the ground ripped out Chris' heart. Desperate, she reached out to KDKA's Get Marty for help.

In an email, she said, "I need help finding who keeps removing my late husband's memorial. I called police. It has been weeks and I haven't gotten a return phone call."

Also, four months ago, the state promised to dedicate the section of Greentree Road where the accident happened to Sciulli, mark it with a sign, and let the family adopt it for the couple's grandchildren.

In an email from PennDOT, a manager stated, "I apologize for any delay." PennDOT also sent a work order for the highway saying, "In Loving Memory of Antonio Sciulli."

KDKA is told the work will be done immediately.

Meanwhile, within an hour of contacting Scott Township Police, officers posted on their Facebook page about the thefts of the memorials.

The post said: "Someone stole it, clearly having no regard for others' loss. Please contact us with any information. The family and our department have a great interest in solving this crime."

That's when offers started flooding in from people who want to pay for a new memorial.

"My husband was a very hard worker, very genuine guy. He did a lot of work for churches. He did a lot of volunteer work. Sometimes it just feels good to have something paid back to him, in his memory," said Chris.

If you'd like Marty to help you solve your problem, email him at GetMarty@kdka.com.