Pallbearer Charged With Stealing Guns Hours After Uncle’s Death

September 17, 2012

An Cantonment man named a pallbearer at his uncle’s funeral has been charged with stealing guns from the uncle’s house hours after he had a heart attack .

Robert Michael Lanquist, Jr., 22, was charged with four felony counts of grand theft of a firearm.

The guns were reportedly taken while Lanquist’s aunt was at the hospital as his uncle passed away. A  handgun and two rifles were stolen from a gun safe, while a handgun was taken from the headboard of the uncle’s bed.

Lanquist’s mother called his aunt and tipped her off that he may have taken guns from the deceased uncle’s home, according to an arrest report. When Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies and an ATF agent contacted Lanquist at his residence, he granted them permission to search the house. They reported finding the weapons hidden in a crawlspace under the home.

Deputies said Lanquist admitted to taking the guns when questioned.

Comments

14 Responses to “Pallbearer Charged With Stealing Guns Hours After Uncle’s Death”

  1. family on September 18th, 2012 9:48 pm

    I am part of the family and Robert (Robbie) was treated like family, Uncle John treated Robbie like his own. For him to do this is just sad!!! The whole family including John treated him with love and respect. . .have fun in jail Robbie!

  2. 429SCJ on September 18th, 2012 7:17 am

    Compulsive behavior at a stressful time.

    If the late Uncle’s will and testament reveals the guns were left to Mr Linquist, will that superceed (supersede) the theft charges?

  3. C on September 18th, 2012 5:12 am

    My uncle died from a heart attack a couple days ago to and I could never even think to do such a thing that’s pretty low man

  4. renee on September 17th, 2012 3:11 pm

    I CANT UNDERSTAND PEOPLE AT A TIME LIKE THAT, JUST THINK HE WAS WAITING FOR THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT. MY FRIEND HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO HER , SHE WAS MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR HER HUSBAND THAT HAD JUST PAST, HER SON WENT IN HER HOME AND STOLE HER GUNS. SHE KNEW WHO DID IT SO SHE CALLED HIM AND SAID YOU BETTER BRING THEM GUNS BACK OR I AM CALLING THE LAW.ANYWAY SHE HAD TO GO GET THEM HER SELF. ITS SO SAD YOU CANT EVEN TRUST YOUR OWN KIDS. MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO ANYONE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO.

  5. Flo on September 17th, 2012 12:36 pm

    Robert, this is low. Thank goodness your mom was a better person then you on your uncle’s death bed. Shame on you…..you will have to answer for your mistakes. Sorry for your mom and aunt.

  6. t2 on September 17th, 2012 11:30 am

    Just wondering what angle is the reason on taking them. I know some families instead of banding together at a time of loss will fight over all the belongings. Not taking up for him but wondering if the family might be trying to sell off all the belongings and he was jsut trying to keep them as a keepsake. At the time of my greatgrandmother’s death, the family couldnt sell her stuff quick enough and I can totally understand wanting to keep something of hers (unfortonately I didnt get a thing but memories, but) and having to sneak it before the vulgers moved in. So Im just wondering which it was, is he a dope head, or just trying to keep something that meant the world to his uncle that he may have been close to. Just wondering, before passing the judgement, because there are a lot of facts missing that would determine which way to think.

  7. JIM W on September 17th, 2012 11:04 am

    If he is found guilty of this crime he should spend a long time in cross bar hotel. Then he will have enough time to think and reflect upon what he has just done and maybe never do it again. This is about as low as anyone can go. Must have had a lot of respect for his uncle huh. Yeah right none whatsoever!

  8. Atmore G on September 17th, 2012 9:18 am

    Stealing from your uncle while he is on his death bed and then standing as one of his pall bearers? How low can you get..

  9. woww on September 17th, 2012 5:44 am

    he just got his one way ticket to the devils door!!! what a jerk!!

  10. Greg on September 17th, 2012 5:37 am

    This is like a guy at Bratt who cleaned out a shed when Dad on death bed. Got a real high off the money he got from it. Mom said he had to have his drugs!!!

  11. baebae on September 17th, 2012 5:15 am

    He was protecting those guns from thieves…his uncle meant a lot to him ??

  12. KJ on September 17th, 2012 3:00 am

    How low can a person get? What a shame!

  13. fhg on September 17th, 2012 2:47 am

    lower than a snake’s belly

  14. CD on September 17th, 2012 1:53 am

    There’s a message here. Keep your gun safe locked and be careful who has the combination. How low can a person stoop as to steal from a relative on their death-bed?!!!