Bahamas funeral home which prepared Aaliyah's body says Virgin Records hasn't paid bill

Jet, Sept 2, 2002

The funeral home in the Bahamas that prepared and transported singer Aaliyah's body reportedly has accused Virgin Records of not paying the bill.

Loretta Turner of Butlers Funeral Homes and Crematorium in Nassau told Time magazine Virgin backed out on a verbal agreement to pay for the transport of bodies of Aaliyah and eight others killed in the August plane crash (JET, Sept. 17, 2001).

Turner said she's out of $68,000 and even appealed to the U.S. embassy in Nassau for help.

"We worked 24/7 to get the bodies out as expeditiously as possible," she told the magazine. "We had to bring in extra staff. People worked on their day off."

Robert Spragg, the attorney for Aaliyah's parents, Michael and Diane Haughton, told Time that Aaliyah's family was told they'd be reimbursed for funeral expenses but haven't gotten anything. According to Time, the two executives who allegedly made the promises are no longer with the company.

Turner has the official death certificates of the nine victims and says she plans to hold them until she is paid. The certificates will be needed before Aaliyah's estate is settled and before any lawsuits can be filed.

The sultry R & B singer was killed last year when the twin-engine Cessna she was aboard went down shortly after takeoff on Abaco Island, north of Nassau. Aaliyah had come to the Bahamas to shoot a music video.