Claiborne, Mississippi — A black male has been found hanging from a tree, CBS News reported Thursday. He had been reported missing in March after a friend dropped him off near a casino. His body was found near his last known residence.
UPDATE: The FBI says family of black Mississippi man found hanging from tree learned of autopsy results March 24; the information was not shared publicly.
The family of Byrd says they are hiring independent experts to conduct an investigation separate from that being pursued by state and federal authorities, the AP reported.
The Family is not satisfied with the conclusion by the FBI. They believe Byrd did not commit suicide.
EARLIER: The man has been identified by the NAACP as 54-year-old Otis Byrd. Officials have not released the name.
There is no indication yet whether the hanging is a criminal or a self-inflicted act, CBS reported.
According to the Mississippi Department of Corrections, Byrd spent a little over 25 years in prison for the murder of Lucille Trimm in Claiborne County. Records show he robbed her of $101. He was convicted of capital murder on Feb. 8, 1980, and paroled Nov. 2, 2006.
From CNN:
There are two parallel investigations: one by local authorities into the death and one by the FBI into whether there may be any federal civil rights violations.
The FBI has a forensics team on the scene in Mississippi in part because the bureau has responsibility for federal civil rights law.
Claiborne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,604. Its county seat is Port Gibson.
The county is named after William Claiborne, the second governor of the Mississippi Territory.
Photo credit: MDOC/Clairborne County Sheriff’s Department
