FROM ABC NEWS
Mississippi Man Found Hanging From Tree
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Mississippi authorities and the FBI
are trying to determine whether an African-American man found hanging
from a tree in Claiborne County committed suicide or was the victim of a
brutal homicide.
Authorities believe the man is Otis Byrd, 54, a convicted murderer out
of prison on parole, but an autopsy is being performed to confirm the
identity and cause of death.
"We got a young man that died and we're going to determine how he died
and if someone did that, that person will be brought to justice and he
will be punished for that," said Claiborne County Sheriff Marvin Lucas.
Byrd was last seen March 2 and, within days, his family filed a missing
person report with the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office. The FBI and
Mississippi Bureau of Investigation were then asked to help, the FBI
said in a statement. The man's body was found about a half-mile from
Byrd's home.
As a precaution, the FBI has opened a preliminary civil rights
investigation, focusing on whether Byrd's race may have played a role
in his death. Lucas said his family was unaware of any threats made
against him.
Earlier Thursday, the Claiborne County Sheriff's Office and the
Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks conducted a ground search for
Byrd.
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