Man Charged With Putting Flowers on Fiancee's Grave

An east Alabama man charged with criminal littering after placing flowers on his fiancee’s grave will go to trial on March 17, 2022. Winchester Hagans has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The man was arrested after his fiancee's father pressed charges against him.

Read on to learn the details of this story...

Death of Hannah Ford

Hannah Ford was killed in a car crash on January 17, 2021, as she picked out a wedding venue for their upcoming wedding. Winchester Hagans described Hannah as “the most beautiful, loving, sweet and amazing, full of life person I had ever met.”

The couple met in 2019 and got engaged in December 2020. Hagans kissed Hannah goodbye before she headed to the wedding venue. Hagans says the last words Hannah ever said to him were “I love you and I hate leaving you.”

The fatal accident occurred shortly after she left the home. Ford was 27-years-old.

Hagans Honors Late Fiancee’s Memory With Flower Box

Hagans built a flower box covered with engagement photos to honor his late fiancee’s memory. He placed the flower box as her gravesite at Auburn Park Memorial Cemetery. Over the months, someone continually threw away the flowers and the box. Unscathed by the actions, Hagans said he rebuilt the flower box and replaced the flowers each time.

Ford loved real flowers and did not care for artificial flowers, which is the reason he always wanted fresh flowers at her grave.

Hagans said that some of Ford’s family members did not like him due to the couple’s strained relationship in the two years they were together. He further said despite this, no one ever asked him to stay away from the grave nor to stop placing flowers on the grave.

Hagans Arrested

In February 2022, just over one year since Ford’s death, Hagans traveled to an east Alabama church where he planned to preach a sermon when a police officer stopped him for an expired tag. Hagans then learned he had a warrant out for his arrest. He was arrested on a criminal complaint signed by Hayden Ford, Hanna’s father.

Complaint (Municipal Court of Auburn)

The complaint, dated January 4 reads: A person commits the crime of criminal littering if he or she engages in any of the following acts: (1) Knowingly deposits in any manner litter on any public or private property or in any public or private waters, having no permission to do so. Hayden Thomas Ford is the property owner of his daughter Hannah Ford’s cemetery plot located at Memorial Park in Auburn, Alabama. Approximately 7 -8 flower boxes have been placed on Hannah’s gravesite without his permission. Winston Hagans has been advised not to place unauthorized items on Hannah’s grave. Winston has posted via social media “someone keeps throwing away the flowers I plant…but each time he throws them away, I’ll plant more.” The flower box contains photos of Winston Hagans and Hannah Ford attached around the box.

According to the Auburn Police Department, certain burial plots are "owned and controlled by the family of the deceased and therefore are private property.“

Section 13A-7-29(d) of Alabama Criminal Offenses-Criminal littering- states:

(d) Criminal littering is a Class C misdemeanor. The minimum fine for the first conviction shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250), and the fine for the second and any subsequent conviction shall be five hundred dollars ($500) for each conviction.

Hagans Misses His Fiance

Hagans says he still misses Hannah and visits her grave often. He prays for better days ahead for everyone who mourns her death. He went on to say he just wanted to be able to put flowers on her grave.