Niece’s grave search may be near an end by Robbie Evans, March 29, 2007, revans@thenewsstar.com

A six-month search to find the grave of a Jonestown, Guyana massacre victim from Monroe may be over. On Wednesday, Mary Pearl Willis’ niece, Lela Howard of Culver City, Calif., met with representatives of the city of Monroe and the Louisiana Cemetery Board at Monroe City Cemetery to look for the grave.

After a two-hour search that included discussions with relatives and eyewitnesses, Howard believes her search is over.  “This is wonderful because I believe in my heart we’ve found it,” said Howard, who flew to Monroe this week to conduct the search. “My plan now is to expedite a request to excavate the area. I don’t want to leave Monroe until I see them break ground.”

Howard said she wants the remains exhumed so she can ensure they are those of her aunt.

Willis was a member of the Rev. Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple and one of 900 victims in the November 1978 mass murder-suicide that Jones ordered.

Howard’s quest to find the grave began in October after she contacted Monroe’s Public Works Department to find out if any restrictions existed on putting a headstone on Willis’ grave. She was told the grave could not be found, and nothing could be done about it.

She filed a complaint that same month with Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s office because the city failed to document the location of Willis’ grave.  Blanco’s office forwarded the complaint to the state Cemetery Board, which is responsible for handling cemetery complaints.  A Monroe Cemetery Board member observed Wednesday’s search.

Howard was able to narrow the search area with the help of her cousin, Isaiah Woods of Monroe. Woods attended Willis’ funeral in January 1979 and was able to identify the site by the existence of two trees and a concrete border several feet from the burial site.  “It’s in this area,” Woods said, pointing to the area where Howard had placed a small brick to mark the gravesite. “I was at the funeral and I remember this concrete (border).”

Monroe’s Herbert Harris saw the activity at the cemetery and joined the search.  Harris has lived behind the cemetery on Grammont Street for 63 years. He noted Wednesday that Willis was likely buried where the search was being conducted because funerals in the late 1970s were held in the vicinity of Monroe Brick, which was across Grammont Street from the cemetery.  “I had not been keeping up with the story, but I’ve always tried to help people out,” Harris said. “This is an older area, but a little newer than other parts of the cemetery.”