Under the careful management of Ramsey Wallace Funeral Home & Chapel, Inc. in Arden-Arcade, the remains of Dewayne James Jr. and his brother Sa’Quan Reed-James were transported back to their hometown of Monroe, Louisiana, on Dec. 15.
Dr. Anthony Ramsey Wallace, president and CEO of Wallace Funeral Home, said the brothers, who only been in Sacramento for less than two years, will be buried on Friday, Dec. 18.
The funeral home received custody of the pair on Dec. 3, “And then we dressed them up and casketed them,” Wallace said.
“It’s something that we’re used to dealing with. So the process was not that difficult,” Wallace told The OBSERVER. “It’s just hard because of the ages of the children.”
Sa’Quan, 17, and Dewayne, 19, were shot and killed at Arden Fair Mall on Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving. One died on the scene while the other brother succumbed to injuries the next day.
Damario Beck, 18, has been arrested in connection with the shooting. The Sacramento Police Department says Beck is identified as the alleged shooter. The gunfire started after the two parties engaged in a verbal argument, stemming from an altercation two months ago.
Before the bodies were transferred back to Louisiana through Delta Airlines at Sacramento International Airport, Wallace arranged for a private viewing for Dewayne James Sr. and his wife Jada James.
Officiated by Wallace Funeral Home’s account representative Yardley Griffin Jr., the facility was under strict orders to keep the gathering down to a minimum of 15 people due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Sacramento Police Department arranged to have an escort of the vehicles that carried the brothers from the funeral home to the airport, with Dewayne Sr. and Jada trailing the motorcade.
Dewayne James Sr. said he has forgiven the alleged shooter and has offered comfort for his family. The brothers leave behind eight siblings.
“There’s nothing else that can be done. (All three) of them are gone,” James said. “I tried to raise my boys right. I love them. I love all my kids. But we have to stop this. We have to stop the killing.”
By Antonio R. Harvey | OBSERVER Staff Writer