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When he started, Tobon was routinely questioned by police and DEA officers suspicious of his reasons for claiming the bodies. But now Tobon often gets calls from police telling him that another body has been discovered. Often bodies lay unclaimed for weeks because even when the families know of the death, they are fearful that if they come forward, they will be linked to the drug gangs.
Once, the mother of a 20-year-old victim pointed out a man to Tobon at Kennedy Airport: "There is the man who killed my son," she said. "I went to talk to him. He told me the death was not his concern. If some die along the way, it is to be expected, and it is nothing to him. He said they were paid for the risk. He then dismissed me with a wave of his hand."
The funeral arrangements cost about $2,000 to $3,000. There are two main expenses: a sealed metal coffin that meets airline standards and freight costs of about $700. "It would be cheaper to cremate them, but some older priests won't do a Mass if there is a cremation," Tobon says. He raises the money through appeals on two local radio stations. "Sometimes people will know the family or the village and send a donation. There is never enough." The money goes straight to the funeral home. He still owes for the last 15 funerals.
"I am a religious man. I could take no money for this," he says. What he does receive is threats from the drug gangs, who say his work brings unwanted attention to them. "Even the good people ask why I do this, because it makes everyone look bad, like we are all involved." Tobon sighs, knowing he will receive another phone call--and knowing how he will respond.