A funeral home owner in Washington, D.C. has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted of the murder of a pallbearer during the burial service of a 10-year-old gunshot victim.
Wilson Wesley Chavis, 50, the owner of Compassion and Serenity Funeral Home, was convicted in February for the June 6, 2023, killing of Ronald Steven Banks, 30, who had been serving as a pallbearer at the funeral of Arianna Miracle Davis.
Arianna had tragically been killed by a stray bullet while in the backseat of her family’s car in Washington, D.C. just weeks earlier.
During the burial, Chavis got into a confrontation with two people from a competing funeral service company. Chavis, who had a long-standing business dispute with the company, became upset, prompting an argument. He then pulled out a firearm and fired two shots, striking Banks and grazing a cousin of Arianna’s. Banks died from his injuries at the hospital.
Arianna’s mother, Antionette Belk, described the horror to local media, saying, “I’m so traumatized that this happened at my daughter’s burial site… It’s trauma after trauma.” She further recalled that Chavis shouted, “I own this body!” before spitting on a pastor present at the scene.
Chavis attempted to flee the scene in his vehicle, but he was pulled over by police and arrested. He later claimed he had acted in self-defense.
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson stated that the 35-year sentence sent a strong message that violence would not be tolerated in the community, noting that the victims’ families continued to suffer from the tragic event.
Chavis also faces an additional 65 years in prison for other charges. His sentencing on July 11 will address further counts, including threatening behavior that had been reported by the rival funeral home.
