Funeral Fundraiser Set For Dasan Jones; Stepfather Arrested

CURTIS BAY, MD — A GoFundMe page has been established to help pay funeral expenses for Dasan Jones, 15, of Curtis Bavy, a student at the magnet school in Glen Burnie. Authorities have charged his stepfather, a Baltimore City police officer, in the teen's death.

On July 6 Dasan was found dead inside a hole in the wall of his stepfather's home. The boy's stepfather, Eric Banks Jr., 34, is a Baltimore City police officer. He was arrested and faces several charges including murder and child abuse.

One of Dasan's classmates created a GoFundMe fundraiser to help his mother, Latrice N. Banks, with funeral expenses.

An obituary for Dasan James Edward Jones said he is survived by his mother and two brothers, Evan and Tristan Banks; grandparents Michele Chandler-Williams and Tony L. Williams Sr.; and great-grandparents James and Carol Lackey.

"Dasan Jones was a bright young man with a promising future. He had been awarded the Presidential Golden Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence, Schola Award and Goal Oriented Award for Orchestra," the obituary said. "He was an excellent violinist, an avid gamer and was learning the Spanish language. His goal was to be a general surgeon."

Dasan loved to garden, and enjoyed all food, especially sushi and Mexican food, his family said.

"He was immensely loved by his family, especially being a big brother, his friends and teachers. He will be sorely missed. Please keep his family in your prayers. Thank you all for the love and support," the obituary said.

Visitation was held July 12 at Gonce Funeral Service in Pasadena. The family is planning further services and an interment later in Arizona.

Authorities announced on Tuesday they charged Banks in the teen's death by suffocation.

Police found Dasan unresponsive on July 6. His body was hidden in the attic crawl space of Banks' home in the 1400 block of Stoney Point Way, officers said.

The stepfather initially said his stepson had already left without taking his belongings, the press release explained. Banks tried to disarm an officer after they found his stepson's body, officials said.

When investigators executed several search warrants they found seemingly bloody clothing in a dresser.

Banks faces charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and first-degree child abuse resulting in death in the homicide of Dasan. The stepfather had already been charged with assault, resisting or interfering with arrest and other crimes related to his interaction with police.

The Baltimore Police Department suspended Banks for an unknown reason before this case, The Baltimore Sun reported last Thursday. The newspaper also disclosed that the agency suspended Banks without pay after officers issued felonious charges.

You can contribute to the online fundraiser, which had a goal of $10,000. As of Friday afternoon, the page had raised just over $13,000 for the family.

"I am truly grateful to any and everyone who has donated in my son's honor," his mother posted on the site. "Thank from the bottom of my heart."

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