Funeral Home Gunman
Found Guilty in Broad Daylight Killing
June 6th, 2025
(Jackson, MS) Hinds County District Attorney Jody E. Owens II announced that a Hinds County jury has found a man guilty in a shooting that turned a moment of mourning into chaos and violence. Ameni Olugbala was found guilty of murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle for the 2020 killing of 25-year-old Walter Hart Jr.
The incident began inside Westhaven Funeral Home on Robinson Road, where an argument between family members escalated. As the altercation spilled into the parking lot, Olugbala retrieved a firearm and opened fire on a vehicle as it was attempting to leave. The vehicle, which contained multiple occupants, was struck by gunfire. Walter Hart Jr. was shot while inside the car. He attempted to drive away but only made it to a nearby gas station, where he was found dead behind the wheel.
After trial, a jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts against Olugbala: First Degree Murder and Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle. Olugbala was sentenced to life in prison for First Degree Murder and two years to serve for Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle, to be served concurrently.
“Walter Hart Jr. was shot and killed at a funeral home, a place meant for peace, not bloodshed,” said District Attorney Owens. “This wasn’t just reckless, it was a complete disregard for human life, in a setting where families were already grieving. This sentencing brings justice to Walter’s family and sends a clear message: violence won’t be tolerated in our community, not in our streets and certainly not at our places of mourning.”
Guilty verdict handed down in 2020 funeral home shooting
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