Accused former St. Matthew Cemetery groundskeeper wants to clear his name
NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) -- The former groundskeeper of St. Matthew Cemetery says he's not to blame for the cemetery's current bad name.
News 10 first reported the pastor of Star Pilgrim Baptist Church, Donald Wright, brought complaints and questions he's been receiving about misplaced bodies and occupied plots being sold in the St. Matthew Cemetery to light.
Wright named former groundskeeper Ronald Boseman as the one responsible for the issues.
Boseman says he has no knowledge of missing bodies and occupied plots being sold, as he was sick and no longer taking care of the cemetery when the issues happened.
"There's a misconception that once they put their people there, I was their indentured servant," Boseman said.
Boseman says any funds received were used to maintain the cemetery, and at times that was not enough. He said sometimes he would have to use his own money or get help from family members for the cemetery's upkeep. Boseman also says his only role was keep up St. Matthew as he had no knowledge of having to register the cemetery because he did not own it.
"I don't know any of that," he said. "Like I said, once I got sick, I didn't know anything regarding that. All I know is that we took care from those nursery to the railroad track."
The Iberia Parish District Attorney's Office said complaints would have to be referred to the New Iberia Police Department as that would be the agency to investigate.
"NIPD was notified of a situation involving the possibility of graves being moved and/or placed in the wrong location," NIPD said, in a statement released Tuesday. "A few families have contacted us reporting they were not either able to locate their loved one or their loved one's grave has been moved.
"Additionally, it was reported that an individual, who was not authorized was accepting funds for plots in the cemetery.
"NIPD Detectives are actively investigating the situation."
Boseman says he hasn't been contacted by police yet, but he maintains he had no information on the bodies, plots and any mismanagement after he stepped down due to his health.
"I'm always at home," Boseman said. "I'm on dialysis now, you know, and I did that up until I couldn't do it anymore."