Arianna Davis, Wilson Wesley Chavis (Images via FBI; Prince George County Police Department)
A funeral home owner was sentenced to prison for murdering a pallbearer at the burial of a 10-year-old girl who was killed by a stray bullet in Washington, D.C.
Wilson Wesley Chavis, 50, owner of Compassion and Serenity Funeral Home, was convicted in February in the killing of Ronald Steven Banks, a 30-year-old pallbearer, and family friend of Arianna Miracle Davis, during the young girl”s burial service on June 6, 2023. A judge on Friday sentenced Chavis to 35 years in prison, according to WTOP.
“[This] sentencing sends a clear and unequivocal message that we will not tolerate this kind of violence in our community. Our hearts remain with the families that have suffered because of this tragic incident, and we remain committed to ensuring that those who commit such violent acts are held fully accountable,” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson said in a statement released to local media.
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The bloodshed happened while the burial service for Arianna was about to get underway. The defendant confronted two people affiliated with a second funeral service company with which Chavis had a long-standing business dispute, police said. Several funeral attendees became upset with Chavis and then confronted him over his behavior.
Chavis next pulled out a gun and fired two shots, striking Banks and grazing a cousin of Arianna.
Arianna’s mother, Antionette Belk, described the horror to local NBC affiliate WRC.
“I’m so traumatized that this happened at my daughter’s burial site. I didn’t even get to lay her down, even to put her in the ground, and another incident happened,” she said. “This is so traumatizing to me, my children, my whole family. It’s trauma after trauma.”
The devastated mother of four, a teacher, reportedly said that the defendant yelled, “I own this body!” and spit on a pastor at the scene.
After the shooting, Chavis tried to flee in his vehicle, but he didn’t get too far because an officer with the Morningside Police Department spotted him and pulled him over, Prince George’s County Police said. Chavis later claimed he acted in self-defense.
Banks died at a hospital. He had been carrying the casket for Arianna. She was tragically shot by a stray bullet returning home from a Mother’s Day event while in the back seat of her family’s car in Washington, D.C., according to the FBI. Three men face charges in Arianna’s murder.
Local Fox affiliate WTTG reported that Chavis had a temporary peace order filed against him then by the president of the rival funeral home — after he allegedly made threats.
Chavis faces up to 65 years in prison when he is set to be sentenced on July 11, online records show.
Matt Naham and Jason Kandel contributed to this report.
