A mystery has unfolded outside a Chili’s in Niagara Falls, New York. Last Sunday morning, Elizabeth Confer was reporting to work when she noticed a black box outside the front door. When she looked inside, she saw that the box was filled with human cremains. The bag of ashes was labeled “Edwin Karkos Colucci Funeral Home” and dated February 25, 2012.
Here’s where the mystery deepens: Colucci Funeral Home no longer exists. It’s now called Benjamin Memorial Home. There’s a MJ Colucci & Son Funeral Chapel, but its address doesn’t match the one on the box.
Confer showed the box to her manager and they called the police. She also posted a message on Facebook because that’s what you do in the 21st century.
WIVB-Channel 4 in Buffalo first reported the story, and Fox News picked it up. Since then, Confer says, she’s gotten a few responses, but she’s still waiting to hear from Edwin Karkos’ family.
There are so many questions! Who was Edwin Karkos? Was he especially fond of Chili’s? Why else would whoever was holding his ashes all these years leave them there? And now what will happen? This sounds like the setup for a TV movie, either romantic (Hallmark) or a low-grade thriller (Lifetime). Either way, we’re looking forward to finding out how it all ends.