A St. Louis mother says her grief has turned into a standoff with a local funeral home over money and control. Yvette Watkins contends that Urban Undertakers Legacy & Cremation is holding on to the body of her son, Michael Hunter, until she pays roughly $3,000, and she says she is gearing up to take the matter to court.
Hunter was fatally shot on a MetroBus in Breckenridge Hills, and authorities have made an arrest in the case. Now, on top of a homicide investigation, the family is locked in a fee dispute that they say feels like a second blow while they are still mourning.
As reported by FOX2, Watkins says staff from Urban Undertakers picked up her son's body "against her wishes" and later told her she would have to pay before the remains could be released. The station also spoke with a receptionist, who said Watkins did not give a "hold" or "pause" instruction when the process started.
According to FOX2, Watkins plans to file a civil lawsuit in an effort to regain custody of Hunter's remains, setting up a legal fight over who controls what happens next to his body.
How the shooting unfolded
Initial reports described a rush hour confrontation aboard a MetroBus near St. Charles Rock Road and Wismer Road in Breckenridge Hills. Investigators pulled interior and exterior surveillance video from the bus and sought additional witnesses, according to Hoodline's earlier coverage in rush-hour MetroBus fight turns fatal.
That prior reporting helps explain why the case has stayed in the public eye, as the family now faces both a criminal case and a dispute over funeral arrangements.
What Missouri law says
Missouri law spells out who has the authority to decide what happens to a person's remains and how disagreements over that decision can be handled. Those rules are detailed in the Missouri Revisor of Statutes, which governs issues like next of kin and court involvement when relatives cannot agree.
Funeral home's account and fees
A funeral director for Urban Undertakers told FOX2 that Watkins presented identification, signed paperwork and later told staff to move forward with arrangements. The director also said Hunter's father wants the services to stay with the funeral home.
Urban Undertakers' publicly posted price list shows a "Cremation with Memorial Service" at $2,995, with other packages listed both above and below that figure. That roughly lines up with the amount Watkins says the funeral home is demanding before it will release her son's body, and the collision of signed documents and pricing is at the core of the dispute.
Next steps and legal options
Watkins has said she intends to go to civil court to get a judge to order the release of Hunter's remains if that is what it takes. Attorneys note that courts can step in when grieving families cannot reach an agreement, and probate judges are often the ones who hear petitions about the disposition of a person's body.
For now, the family is in limbo, waiting on a legal resolution while they try to plan a memorial and process their loss. The case underscores how billing, paperwork and conflicting wishes from relatives can spiral into a second legal ordeal for families already dealing with a violent death under investigation.
Watkins says she wants to bury her son. The funeral home says it followed procedure. Local officials and those directly involved have not provided additional comment beyond previous statements given to the station.
