Grave error: Deputies nab the wrong man at a funeral
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There are moments in life that are meant to be sacred—times when families gather, hearts heavy, to say goodbye to someone they love.
But for the Smith family of North Carolina, a recent funeral became the scene of a jaw-dropping law enforcement blunder that left mourners reeling, angry, and demanding answers.
A Day of Mourning Turns Chaotic
It was supposed to be a day of remembrance for Kabem Smith—a father, friend, and pillar of his community.
Instead, as loved ones gathered to pay their respects, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office stormed the funeral, zeroing in on what they believed was a breakthrough in a decades-old murder case.
The officers, acting on a tip, believed they’d finally cornered Willard Eugene Smith, a fugitive wanted for a 1995 homicide.
But in a twist that could have come straight from a Hollywood script (albeit a tragic one), the man they handcuffed in front of stunned mourners wasn’t the long-sought suspect at all. He was Kabem’s brother—an innocent man, simply there to grieve.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as “unreal.”
Family friend Bryant McKinney told local news, “It was the most unreal thing I have ever seen.” The shock quickly turned to outrage as relatives and friends watched their loved one, already devastated by loss, being led away in handcuffs.
How Did This Happen?
The sheriff’s office had received what they called “very detailed” information from multiple sources.
The tipsters claimed that Willard Eugene Smith, who’s been on the run for nearly 30 years and is known to use aliases (including family members’ names), would be at the funeral under the name “Willard Partridge”—a name listed in the obituary as one of Kabem’s surviving brothers.
Also read: 82-year-old thought she was arrest-proof—see why she was wrong!
Believing this was their best shot in decades, deputies moved in. But as they tried to get their “suspect” into the back of a patrol car, the funeral erupted.
Family members swarmed the officers, shouting, recording the chaos on their phones, and even threatening to sue.
“We will put all our money together and sue y’all!” one woman yelled, her voice echoing the pain and disbelief of everyone present.
The sheriff’s office later described the scene: “A large number of people began to surround the Lee County Deputy cars in an attempt to block them in. They started banging on the hoods and rocking the patrol cars with Deputies inside. Attendees also attempted to use vehicles to block the exit route for the Deputies.”
After eight hours in custody, the man was released—no charges, no connection to the murder, just a family left to pick up the pieces of a day that should have been about healing.
The Aftermath: Apologies, Explanations, and Unanswered Questions
Sheriff Brian Estes defended his department’s actions, saying they’d never had such a solid lead on the fugitive’s whereabouts.
Source: Tamika Bynum / Facebook.
Source: Tamika Bynum / Facebook.
“We never want to upset a family or do anything to disrespect anyone, but we had to go check that out to see if we could locate him. I kind of feel like it was our only opportunity,” Estes explained, acknowledging the timing was “not ideal.”
But for the Smith family, the damage was done. In a statement posted to Facebook, they described the incident as a “violent interruption” and an “aggressive and unjustified action.”
They allege that officers threatened unarmed mourners—including elders and children—with drawn weapons and even deployed tear gas.
“This excessive use of force against unarmed mourners not only desecrated our loved one’s final rites but inflicted lasting emotional trauma on an already grieving family,” the statement read.
The sheriff’s office has since promised to review its protocols to prevent such a mistake from happening again.
Meanwhile, the search for Willard Eugene Smith continues, with authorities now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Read next: A misspelled name led to two wrongful arrests—could it happen to you?
Have you ever witnessed law enforcement overstep in the name of justice? How do you think situations like this should be handled? Should there be stricter guidelines for police actions at sensitive events like funerals? Share your thoughts, stories, and opinions in the comments below!
But for the Smith family of North Carolina, a recent funeral became the scene of a jaw-dropping law enforcement blunder that left mourners reeling, angry, and demanding answers.
A Day of Mourning Turns Chaotic
It was supposed to be a day of remembrance for Kabem Smith—a father, friend, and pillar of his community.
Instead, as loved ones gathered to pay their respects, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office stormed the funeral, zeroing in on what they believed was a breakthrough in a decades-old murder case.
The officers, acting on a tip, believed they’d finally cornered Willard Eugene Smith, a fugitive wanted for a 1995 homicide.
But in a twist that could have come straight from a Hollywood script (albeit a tragic one), the man they handcuffed in front of stunned mourners wasn’t the long-sought suspect at all. He was Kabem’s brother—an innocent man, simply there to grieve.
The wrongful arrest caused chaos and distress among mourners, with family members protesting, threatening legal action, and attempting to block police vehicles. Image source: Bryant Mckinney / Facebook.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as “unreal.”
Family friend Bryant McKinney told local news, “It was the most unreal thing I have ever seen.” The shock quickly turned to outrage as relatives and friends watched their loved one, already devastated by loss, being led away in handcuffs.
How Did This Happen?
The sheriff’s office had received what they called “very detailed” information from multiple sources.
The tipsters claimed that Willard Eugene Smith, who’s been on the run for nearly 30 years and is known to use aliases (including family members’ names), would be at the funeral under the name “Willard Partridge”—a name listed in the obituary as one of Kabem’s surviving brothers.
Also read: 82-year-old thought she was arrest-proof—see why she was wrong!
Believing this was their best shot in decades, deputies moved in. But as they tried to get their “suspect” into the back of a patrol car, the funeral erupted.
Family members swarmed the officers, shouting, recording the chaos on their phones, and even threatening to sue.
“We will put all our money together and sue y’all!” one woman yelled, her voice echoing the pain and disbelief of everyone present.
The sheriff’s office later described the scene: “A large number of people began to surround the Lee County Deputy cars in an attempt to block them in. They started banging on the hoods and rocking the patrol cars with Deputies inside. Attendees also attempted to use vehicles to block the exit route for the Deputies.”
Police stormed a North Carolina funeral and mistakenly arrested the grieving brother of the deceased, believing he was a long-wanted murder suspect. Image source: Bryant Mckinney / Facebook.
After eight hours in custody, the man was released—no charges, no connection to the murder, just a family left to pick up the pieces of a day that should have been about healing.
The Aftermath: Apologies, Explanations, and Unanswered Questions
Sheriff Brian Estes defended his department’s actions, saying they’d never had such a solid lead on the fugitive’s whereabouts.
Source: Tamika Bynum / Facebook.
Source: Tamika Bynum / Facebook.
“We never want to upset a family or do anything to disrespect anyone, but we had to go check that out to see if we could locate him. I kind of feel like it was our only opportunity,” Estes explained, acknowledging the timing was “not ideal.”
But for the Smith family, the damage was done. In a statement posted to Facebook, they described the incident as a “violent interruption” and an “aggressive and unjustified action.”
They allege that officers threatened unarmed mourners—including elders and children—with drawn weapons and even deployed tear gas.
“This excessive use of force against unarmed mourners not only desecrated our loved one’s final rites but inflicted lasting emotional trauma on an already grieving family,” the statement read.
The sheriff’s office has since promised to review its protocols to prevent such a mistake from happening again.
Meanwhile, the search for Willard Eugene Smith continues, with authorities now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Read next: A misspelled name led to two wrongful arrests—could it happen to you?
Have you ever witnessed law enforcement overstep in the name of justice? How do you think situations like this should be handled? Should there be stricter guidelines for police actions at sensitive events like funerals? Share your thoughts, stories, and opinions in the comments below!
