Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - The funeral service for Shaeed Woodard, an American citizen killed by the Gulf cartel in Mexico, was held in Lake City, South Carolina. The service was attended by over 100 people, and it was the first for the two people killed in the attack. The incident has heightened scrutiny of both governments' response to the cartel's stronghold in the area.
Woodard was killed just days before he turned 34, during a road trip with a tight-knit group to help his cousin get cosmetic surgery. The group, including Woodard and three friends with ties to the area, were abducted in Matamoros, Mexico, over 1,400 miles away from Lake City. A vehicle crashed into their van, and several men with tactical vests and assault rifles surrounded them, firing shots. Woodard and Zindell Brown died, while Latavia McGee and Eric Williams survived.
The funeral was held at the Good News Deliverance Temple, and spiritual leaders rejected vengeful thinking. They asked for a clean heart and prayed for deliverance from evil. Nisheeka Simmons read a letter poem for her cousin, describing Woodard's sweet nature, strength of mind, and the safety others felt around him. A handout featured another poem that suggested Woodard wanted to celebrate his birthday differently with music, laughter, and jokes out on the open road.
Pastor Hugh Samuels shared words of consolation, reminding attendees that there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. The funeral contained mixed emotions as people clapped and sang during powerful medleys of songs.
Mexican investigative documents revealed that McGee and Williams were blindfolded while the cartel held them in a remote shack. Woodard and Brown's bodies lay beside them wrapped in blankets and plastic bags.
After conducting a background check, Mexican authorities disclosed a previous arrest for minor marijuana possession and attempted to discredit the victims by insinuating, without any supporting evidence, that they may have been involved in drug trafficking while in Mexico, which led to their death. A fact that Mexico said they would investigate further.
Woodard's body was handed over to U.S. authorities on March 9, after crossing the international bridge to Brownsville, Texas. His final resting place is State Cemetery.
Since the incident, the Woodard family has received an outpouring of support from local officials and nearby activist networks. Colin Ram, an attorney for the family, pledged to guide them through the injustice's fallout, calling it an act of terrorism that affected the lives of four Americans and South Carolinians.
