SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- The remains of a San Diego leader and pioneer in bringing Juneteenth celebrations to the city have been found.
Annee Della Donna, the family’s attorney, said the law firm and the family of Sidney Cooper were notified of the findings on June 23. The law firm said they sent investigators to witness the excavation and are confident it is the local Juneteenth leader.
"We actually saw identification on him that it was him, there were his nephew's military medals in the casket, and we know what he was wearing at the time," said Della Donna.
Cooper died over 20 years ago. His wife Thelma passed in March 2023. The two had purchased a burial plot together in the early 1990s at Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary on Imperial Avenue, but when Thelma died, the mortuary called to tell her family, that Sidney was not at his gravesite.
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Last month, before the remains were found, the mortuary told ABC 10News they were working to find out what happened and said the placement of Sidney Cooper happened under previous ownership.
The Dubin Law Firm said they still don't know how the body was found confirmed the excavation revealed another major problem -- the casket was destroyed by water damage and decayed beyond recognition.
The family said at the time of the plot purchase, the Coopers added an air-sealed, waterproof vault to protect the remains until the second burial. They showed ABC 10News a receipt, which they say is proof.
"Rather than giving them what they paid for, which was this airtight, waterproof container, the mortuary pocketed the money and put them into this flimsy box that is disintegrated," said the attorney.
Now, the family is hoping to bury both Sidney and Thelma Cooper together on Saturday.
ABC 10News did reach out to Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary Thursday evening for comment about the new details of Cooper's case, and a spokesperson issued the following statement on Friday morning:
“In responding to a family’s question about the placement of their loved one who was interred over 20 years ago by previous ownership and management, Greenwood Memorial Park and Mortuary conducted an extensive review. We concluded beyond any reasonable doubt that the loved one is indeed placed in a space adjacent to his wife. We will continue to support the family through their continued grief. We are grateful for all who worked to confirm the actual placement of this individual and to ensure that he is together with his wife in their final resting place.”
