The National Park Service has identified a suspect in vandalism at Joshua Tree and seven other national parks. A report from the Park Service says a 21-year-old New York State woman, Casey Nocket, has been identified as the primary suspect in recent vandalism cases that affect eight national parks in the western United States.
National Park Service investigators have confirmed that images were painted using acrylic paint on rocks and boulders in Yosemite National Park, Death Valley National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park, all in California; Rocky Mountain National Park and Colorado National Monument, both in Colorado; Crater Lake National Park, in Oregon; Zion National Park and Canyonlands National Park, both in Utah. Investigators continue to collect evidence of the crimes and conduct interviews and are consulting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office about potential charges. The images are generally of a crudely scrawled face with a snake coming out its mouth marked with the word “Creepytings” (sic). She also used large permanent markers on ancient petroglyphs and other protected images. Nocket used social media to document her crimes. The National Park Service said if people visiting these parks come upon these images, they should contact the nearest park ranger with information about the image location. Visitors should not attempt to remove the images. The National Park Service was contacted on October 20 about this vandalism case. The investigation began immediately.
SUSPECT IDENTIFIED IN VANDALIZING OF JOSHUA TREE AND SEVEN OTHER NATIONAL PARKS
