FBI investigating hanging death of black man in Mississippi

PORT GIBSON, Miss. — Federal and state authorities are investigating the hanging death of a black man in Mississippi who had been missing for more than two weeks, the FBI said Thursday.

The investigation involves the FBI, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney’s office. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is also involved.

The man was last seen March 2 and was reported missing by his family days later, FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack said in a statement. Pack says the cause of death has not been determined, and authorities aren’t sure if it’s a homicide or a suicide.

Jim Walker, a spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, told The Associated Press that the body was found by the department’s officers while they were searching for 54-year-old Otis Byrd of Port Gibson.

Walker said that about 25 minutes after the officers started the search, they found the body hanging in the woods about 200 yards from Byrd’s house.

None of the authorities has positively identified the body that was found as that of Byrd’s, however.

Walker said the body had “obvious signs” of decomposition, indicating it had been hanging there for more than one day.

Johnie Baker, 87, owns the land where the body was found.

Baker, who did not accompany authorities on the search, described it as an area of pecan and black walnut trees, frequented by hunters and home to several wild hogs.

EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS, Associated Press

ERIC TUCKER, Associated Press

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Tucker reported from Washington. Associated Press Writer Jeff Amy in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.