DAWSON, Ga. (WALB) - Family members said they are in disbelief after internal organs and an urn, that did not belong to their loved one, were discovered in her grave at a Dawson cemetery.

Cedar Hill Cemetery is at the center of a very serious investigation as authorities work to uncover how organs and an urn ended up in the grave of Essie Mae Davis.

This all began after her husband, Alfred Davis, noticed someone else had been buried next to his wife, despite him purchasing both plots so his final resting place could be next to her.

After requesting that his wife’s body be moved to a new area in the cemetery, Davis said an urn and a bag of organs were also uncovered in her grave.

“I had no idea nothing like this [would be] coming up like that,” Davis said.

Davis said after he saw the urn and the organs, he told staff to call the funeral director for Johnson and Son Funeral home because they handled his late wife’s services.

It’s the vault company’s responsibility to make sure the grave is empty and ready for burial, but that company is hired by the funeral home.

When we reached out to Ernest Johnson, the owner of Johnson and Son funeral home, for a comment he wasn’t very happy.

“We didn’t put that there. We didn’t have no idea about it,” Johnson said.

“I’m not saying you put the bones there,” WALB’s Katelyn Barker replied.

“Yeah, but when you implicate this, it makes it look like I was involved. I put the vault there. I had nothing to do with that other,” Johnson said.

Johnson later directed all questions to Martavius Marcus, the Terrell County Coroner.

“The organs were not in the vault. I can confirm that. They were laying at the head of the vault,” Marcus explained.

Coroner Marcus said the organs are currently being tested for DNA, and no one has been charged of any crime at this time.

“Please do not hold anybody accountable for anything because at this present time, no one has broken any law,” he said.

Details in the story are very limited because this is an ongoing investigation that the GBI is spearheading, and, as you can imagine, emotions are high as family members demand answers and accountability.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2025 WALB. All rights reserved.