MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Family members of a North Memphis mechanic who was shot and killed say legal challenges have stopped them from laying him to rest.
Gerald Stewart was murdered March 6 while checking on a break-in at his mechanic shop.
“I still have trouble sleeping. It has been really hard,” said Mariah Ogunnubi, who says she is Stewart’s oldest daughter.
It’s been more than a month since his death, and they still haven’t been able to bury Stewart.
“I have been in court with my dad’s family over my dad’s body,” Ogunnubi said.
She says now there are questions about whether she and her younger sister are really Stewart’s children, and another woman in Memphis says she is Stewart’s child as well.
“I had a DNA test performed with my dad when my dad was alive. I was 11 years old, and that test came back 99.995% I was his child,” Ogunnubi said.
She showed us video of a dinner she shared with her father.
We reached out to Stewart’s family. They referred us to their lawyer and said Ogunnubi has been the reason they have not been able to lay Stewart to rest.
But in court Thursday, a judge ruled in the family’s favor and gave them control of handling funeral arrangements.
But things are still not all settled. Ogunnbi says they will probably be back in court to determine who handles her dad’s estate.
“A lot of people are coming forward. They weren’t really speaking to my father when he was here. But those are the main people stepping forward now,” said Ogunnubi. “I want all of my dad’s wishes to be honored. I just want the chaos to stop.”
Stewart’s daughter also says things have been missing from her father’s home since his death. She is not sure if he had a will.
