FORT LUPTON, Colo. -- The mother of a U.S. Marine was grieving for her dead son when she found that his savings account had been claimed by the director of the funeral home.
It was money that he had no right to and despite a court ruling, the funeral director refused to pay. What's even more puzzling is that he's not just any debtor, he's the mayor of the small town and a member of a City Council that has financial responsibility for the city's budget.
7NEWS also found that he has other debts as well, something his constituents may want to know.
Jason Sepulveda, a Marine, was training at Camp Lejune in North Carolina, preparing to go to Iraq, when in an evening off-base, he was killed in a car accident.
"My son died instantly and the other Marine died approximately two weeks after," said Elis Sepulveda, Jason's mother.
His parents, who spoke with him weekly, knew he had been saving his money for a long weekend when they would all be together.
"We were going on vacation for the Fourth of July to visit him," Sepulveda said. "I know he had been sacrificing because they don't get paid very much."
Jason's body was returned to Colorado for burial. Records show that the funeral was paid, in full, by the Marines. But after closing out her son's accounts, Jason's mother realized that the probate court had sent the proceeds of Jason's savings account to the funeral home, which is run by Jim Bostick.
"I called Mr. Bostick and I said, 'Well, the courts sent you my son's savings account.' He just kind of really blew me off a lot," Sepulveda said.
She said he didn't give her any receipts or bills and just kept the money.
In addition to his duties as mayor and member of the Ft. Lupton City Council, Bostick also owns two funeral homes. In his role with the city, he is heavily involved in overseeing the finances of the town.
Sepulveda took Bostick to court over the money he wouldn't return to her family. The judge's order in the case was final.
"She gave damages, interests, court fines, everything, and I assumed that if you go to court that you pay it," Sepulveda said.
But despite the judgment of more than $7,500, Bostick has refused to pay.
When 7NEWS Investigator John Ferrugia confronted Bostick and asked him why he was still holding money from the Sepulvedas, Bostick said, "I'm not holding the money for them. I don't want to be on camera right now."
But Bostick not only owes the Sepulvedas, he owes other people money.
