The Strange Journey of Lee Harvey Oswald’s Original Headstone

Lee Harvey Oswald, the man accused of assassinating President John F. Kennedy, was buried in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1963 after he was shot to death by Jack Ruby. But his original headstone didn’t remain at his grave for long. So where did Oswald’s first headstone go, and who has it now? The story behind the grave marker is as unusual as the history surrounding Oswald himself.

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Why Lee Harvey Oswald’s Original Headstone Was Replaced

Lee Harvey Oswald's orginal headstone didn't last at his gravesite in Shannon Rose Hill Cemetery for long. Despite being the weight of a small person (130 pounds), it was stolen on the fourth anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy, according to Texas Monthly. Police recovered the ornate headstone; however, Oswald's mother chose to mark her son's grave with a simple brick instead to avoid more unwanted attention. That stone is still there, and you can see it in this video:

Engraved only with "OSWALD" it was supposedly unlisted at Shannon Rose Hill, making the grave difficult to find. A comedian purchased the adjacent lot in 1975 and had a nearly identical stone placed there, "NICK BEEF" a pen name for Patric Abedin, who is not actually buried there. Since Beef was listed, people in the know could use it to find Oswald.

Who Owns the Original Headstone Today?

The orginal headstone was eventually recovered from the crawl space under Oswald's mother's home after it was sold to another family. The Oswalds had no interest in it, so the Card family (the new owners of the home) passed it back and forth, not without some family drama and legal fights.

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The last owner I could find is David Card, who had the stone at least until 2017 (the latest article I could find on the subject). He was attempting to sell the stone to the Sixth Floor Museum, or presumably anyone with the right price/ intentions. If he still has it, it is in a secret location for safekeeping (and hopefully not lost to history...again).