Woman: Robbed of irreplaceable jewelry after fiancé's death

By TARYN ASHER
MyFox Detroit Reporter

TAYLOR, Mich. (MyFox Detroit) -- Just six weeks ago, Jennifer Carr's high school sweetheart, fiancé and the father of her child, Mario Orsette, died in a horrific accident on Ecorse Road near Beech Daly in Taylor.

Orsette's motorcycle impaled a van.  His best friend on the back of the bike somehow survived, but he did not.

"They told us that he was not able to be revived on the scene and that somebody would have to positively I.D. the body," said Carr.

If that loss weren't hard enough to deal with, last Thursday Carr returned home and realized someone had stolen jewelry.

"Things I can't replace."

In broad daylight the brazen burglar broke in the back bedroom window and headed straight to the jewelry box and top dresser drawer, getting away with about $5,000 worth of gold, silver and diamond necklaces and rings.

One piece she can't put a price on is her fiancé's thumbprint on a necklace.  She bought it for her nine-year-old daughter, Alissa, to keep in memory of her father.

"I bought my daughter a Thumbie with her dad's fingerprint on it," she said.  "They took that.  They took a locket that he had bought her a few years ago that said, 'I was never as happy as the day you were born.'"

"Our engagement ring, any piece of jewelry he had ever bought for her or I."

Police took a report, but there were no fingerprints.  Carr believes the only way she may be able to get her most treasured possessions back is if they are spotted at an area pawn shop.  She has started looking, but so far no luck.

"I just want it back.  They're not going to get nearly the money for it.  It means a lot to us."

Especially his fingerprint engraved on the locket, a tangible memory of a man they're still trying to learn to live without.