WACO (March 9, 2010)—The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Tuesday that remains found in November in a burned out house in Downsville were those of veteran Waco firefighter Ramonelle James, 55.

Private funeral services for James will be Saturday.

Friends, co-workers and family attended a memorial service for him in late November.

Firefighters found James’ body after putting out the fire that leveled his home on Nov. 11 in the 200 block of MJR Road in rural McLennan County near Robinson.

James had been shot to death and the fire was set to cover up the murder, authorities said.

In January, James’ son, Ramonell Stephens, 21, was indicted for capital murder in the shooting death of his father.

Stephens was arrested in late November on warrants charging murder and arson as he was released from Parkland Hospital in Dallas, where he was treated for burns he suffered in the fire.

His bonds total $2 million.

Stephens was taken to Parkland after Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Chad Buenger who was responding to the fire, found a burned man identified as Stephens after stopping to check out a car that was parked sideways in the middle of the road near the intersection of South 3rd Street and Loop 340.

According to the affidavit submitted for the arrest, warrant, Stephens smelled strongly of accelerant.

He told a deputy sheriff, “I had to do it,” the affidavit said, and when asked what he meant, he replied, “I shot him.”

A handgun was recovered from Stephens’ car and a neighbor identified him as the man he saw leaving James’ house shortly after the explosion, the affidavit said.

Stephens later told investigators that he shot his father and then poured gasoline on the body, bed and in the house and then set the structure on fire.

In the days before the fire, the affidavit says Stephens “purchased a gas can gas, black work gloves, (and) Kingsford lighter fluid at various stores in McLennan County.”

He also purchased a handgun on Nov. 10 at a local pawnshop, the affidavit said.