3 guard dogs stabbed during attempted theft at crime-ridden Compton cemetery

The deadly attack of three guard dogs at a historic cemetery in Compton has pushed the cemetery’s owner to her absolute breaking point.

Celestina Bishop owns Woodlawn Celestial Gardens on West Greenleaf Boulevard.

During an attempted theft at the cemetery this past weekend, Bishop said her three dogs were stabbed, and one of them died. Her two other dogs survived following emergency surgeries. On Monday, they were recovering at home.

“They’re part of our family,” Bishop told NBCLA.

After years of vandalism, break-ins, and frustrations while trying to run the cemetery, Bishop told NBCLA on Monday that she’s had enough.

Dozens of graves were destroyed and plaques were stolen from the historical Woodlawn Celestial Gardens in Compton — a resting place for hundreds of veterans. Cemetery owner Celestina Bishop believes multiple vandals were involved. Ted Chen reports for the NBC4 News on Jan. 9, 2024.

The site meant for remembrance has become the target of repeated crime, and she worries about what could happen next.

“My dog the other day, perhaps me tomorrow,” Bishop told NBCLA.

So, after six years of overseeing the site, Bishop now wants to sell it.

“I think it’s time for me to walk away with my head held high, knowing that I did everything within my power to sustain Woodlawn as the cemetery,” she said.

Bishop said the violence against her dogs was the final straw.

“Stabbing our dogs is a bit much, and it’s scary,” she added.

Owners of the Woodlawn Celestial Gardens are frustrated and angered after thieves targeted the cemetery once again, digging up several headstones. Bailey Miller reports at 4 p.m. on July 4, 2024.

But Bishop’s decision isn’t an easy one.

Woodlawn Celestial Gardens is a place filled with history — a special place that she’s been trying her best to preserve.

Bishop said there has been no steady funding for the cemetery, no grants, and most of the work has come out of her own pocket.

“People have to understand, Woodlawn has not had any income come in the six years,” she explained. “All the works has been provided solely by me.”

For Bishop, leaving Woodlawn Celestial Gardens will be deeply personal. Her mother is buried there, which is why she bought the cemetery in the first place.

“Woodlawn has always been my mother’s house,” she told NBCLA.

It’s also where more than 26,000 people are buried, including nearly 1,000 U.S. military veterans.

Bishop said she will continue caring for the property until it’s sold.

For now, she’s hoping whoever takes over can protect the historic site in a way she said she hasn’t been able to do alone.