Family props up murdered teen, poses him to play video games for wake service

A family was committed to commemorating a murdered New Orleans teen at his wake—so much so, that they reportedly propped him up in front of a television screen and posed him to play video games.

WGNO reported that Renard Matthews, 18, was laid to rest Tuesday in a traditional jazz funeral in his Upper Ninth Ward neighborhood. Reports indicated that Matthews was fatally shot in the head on the evening of June 26 while walking his dog.

Days before his funeral, the grieving family honored the murdered teen’s memory in an unconventional wake service that grabbed international headlines. Sitting upright in a chair at Charbonnet Labat Glapion Funeral Home, WGNO reported that Matthews was in his element: surrounded by snacks, controller in hand, and playing “NBA 2K” with the Boston Celtics front and center.

Renard Matthews
[Image: Renard Matthews/WGNO video screenshot]
The late teen’s mother, Temeka Matthews, told WGNO that Renard was a huge Celtics and Kyrie Irving fan. She also explained that the 18-year-old spent much of his time at home until she got him his dog.

While his killer and a motive remains unknown, his aunt told The Times-Picayune that the teen was robbed of his cellphone.

[Featured image: WGNO video screengrab]