Family prop murdered man up in chair with cigarette and eyes open at his own funeral
GRAPHIC CONTENT, WARNING: The family of a murdered man decided not to put him in a coffin during his funeral, instead they sat him on a chair with his eyes wide open as they paid their last respects.
Unsettling footage shows Fernando de Jesus Diaz Beato, who was 26 when he died, sitting in a chair with a cigarette in hand during his send off.
Mr Beato was shot 15 times in the Villa Carolina neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with the March 3 incident.
Mr Beato’s family decided to pay tribute to their loved one as though he were still alive.
His family described Mr Beato as a ‘happy and very active person’.
During the service, Mr Beato was placed sitting on a chair with his legs crossed.
He was dressed in a baseball cap and tracksuit.
One of his sisters said those who attended the service were surprised to see him as though he were alive.
Ihizz Diaz Beato said the family decided to embalm him that way because he was a happy person and they wanted to remember him that way.
The unusual way of saying goodbye to a loved one has become a bit of a trend as funeral homes started to offer the service as an alternative to a coffin.
Damaris Marin, owner of Marin Funeral Home, said staff worked with the family to achieve what they wanted.
"We have seen that the families wish to see the dead men just as they were when they were alive,” Marin said.
"We gave [the family] a surprise by leaving the eyes of the dead man open.
"I think that this time was the most impressive reaction to any of the work we have done."
News break – March 12
