Body buried in potter's field sent home

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., March 22 (UPI) -- A woman whose son was buried in a Florida potter's field says Daytona Beach police have agreed to pay to ship his body to Ohio.

Nancy Melchioris told the Daytona Beach (Fla.) News she learned her son, Robert Sholtis, had died in June last year when Bank of America wrote her in July to tell her Sholtis' last check from the VA had to be returned.

Sholtis, 52, moved from Ohio to Florida last year. But after three weeks in the Sandman Motel, he decided Florida was not for him and prepared to drive back to the Cleveland area.

"His automobile was all packed and ready to move back home to Ohio," Melchioris said. "I received my last call from him on June 24, and he assured me that as soon as he got his check, he was on his way."

Melchioris wanted to know why police did not get in touch with Sholtis' family after he was found dead June 25 in his motel room. Police Chief Mike Chitwood finally gave her the answer -- it was a mistake by a detective who "got busy with other stuff" and thought the medical examiner would handle it.

"We screwed up -- there's no other way to say it," Chitwood said.

Melchioris said she was happy police are willing to admit a mistake. Her granddaughter, Sholtis' daughter, is training to be a police officer.