Two people were arrested last Saturday by West Columbia police and the Brazoria County Sheriff’s department for the theft of a precious jewel from the historic Varner-Hoff Plantation Historic Site in West Columbia.
Arrested for the alleged theft were Carla Fuentes, 26, of Freeport, and Tirso Miguel Perez, 24, of Highlands, TX. Court records show that Perez has a history of as many as 13 theft convictions.
The pair tried to sell the brooch at a jewelry store, but the owner recognized the piece and called police.
The brooch was originally owned by philanthropist Ima Hogg, who was the daughter of Governor James Hogg. The brooch is made of pearls and a center diamond, mounted on a black carbon mound said to be material from the original 1901 Spindletop oil gusher in Beaumont.