Family’s burial halted after another casket found in grave at Louisiana cemetery
By Johnette Magner
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SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (KTBS) — A Shreveport family’s grief turned to shock and anger today when a burial at Carver Memorial Cemetery was abruptly halted — after relatives discovered another casket already inside the grave prepared for their loved one.
The family of Frank Ruffin Sr., a beloved pastor and musician, gathered at the cemetery expecting to lay him to rest. Instead, they were met with a disturbing sight: a damaged casket visible inside the open grave.
A casket was uncovered at Carver Cemetery Thursday morning as the funeral home prepared the gravesite for a man’s burial.
“When you open a grave, you should never see the casket of another loved one,” said Alexander Elie, owner of Choice Funeral Home, who was handling Ruffin’s burial.
Elie said that when he saw what happened, he and the family agreed to not move forward and instead reload Ruffin’s casket into the hearse and return it to the funeral home.
Gravesite where Frank Ruffin Sr. was to be buried Thursday morning.
When KTBS arrived at the cemetery shortly afterward, cemetery owner Arthur Walsh was seen using a backhoe to quickly fill in the grave. He told KTBS that the hole had “caved in,” but declined to speak further on camera.
“Even if the grave caved, why was it still like that when we got here?” asked Elie.
The end of a casket can be seen after a hole was dug Thursday morning at Carver Cemetery for Frank Ruffin Sr.’s burial plot.
Family members of Frank Ruffin Sr. console each other after not being able to complete his burial service Thursday morning.
Family members said they were stunned not only by the discovery but also by the way cemetery Walsh handled the situation.
“He offered to just throw dirt in the hole and ignore the fact that someone’s casket had been damaged,” said Ruffin’s niece, Angelica Hampton. “When we asked for a refund, he told us to call the office, said that was fine, and walked away — without even offering condolences.”
Ruffin’s granddaughter, Jer-Kiya Hall, said her grandfather was “a funny person” who “was not only my papa, he was my best friend.”
The family had hoped for a peaceful farewell to a man remembered for his faith, his music, and his warmth. Instead, they were left heartbroken and frustrated.
KTBS has reported on issues at Carver Cemetery for years, including complaints about overgrown grass, broken headstones, and missing grave markers. The Louisiana Cemetery Board previously told KTBS it has no jurisdiction over Carver Cemetery because it is not a perpetual care cemetery.
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