- Associated Press - Thursday, December 16, 2010

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The simple wooden coffin that was supposed to be the final resting place of Lee Harvey Oswald will soon have a new resting place of its own.

The coffin was put up for auction last month by a Texas funeral home owner who swapped it with Oswald’s family for a new one when the body was briefly exhumed in 1981.

With the auction just a few hours away from closing Thursday, bidding had reached $25,548, according to Nate D. Sanders Auctions of Santa Monica. Auction house spokesman Sam Heller says about 30 bids have been received.

Funeral home owner Allen Baumgardner said he felt it was time for the coffin to have a new owner.

It was dug up in 1981 so Oswald’s body could be positively identified.

Oswald was arrested as a suspect in President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 death, but he was slain two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide