PORT GIBSON — A photograph circulating through the community purporting to show the body of a Port Gibson man hanging from a tree appears disturbing and authentic, though the source of the photograph remains a mystery.

After seeing the image obtained by The Vicksburg Post, sources close to the investigation into the hanging death of Otis James Byrd, 54, confirmed Monday that the image appeared to show Byrd hanging from a tree behind his Rodney Road residence.

Byrd’s family last saw him on March 2 and authorities discovered his body on March 19.

Claiborne County Sheriff Marvin Lucas, who said he had not seen the photo, but had heard it was being circulated, offered details that further validated the photo.

“I’ve heard that it was going around,” Lucas said.

The original source of the photo, which appears to have been taken with a cellphone camera and is of low quality, remains unknown.

The FBI, when contacted Monday, did not comment on the existence of the photo, but instead asked for continued input and support from the community.

“Our priority throughout the investigation is to determine as many facts as possible,” FBI special agent Donald Alway said. “If someone has a photo we haven’t seen or information they’d like us to consider, we encourage them to call the FBI’s Jackson office at 601-948-5000. This will ensure we have every piece of available information.”

Byrd’s body was sent to the state crime lab where an autopsy was performed. The FBI has not released results of the autopsy, which they hope would provide evidence of whether Byrd’s death was a homicide or suicide.

Investigators have also not provided a timetable for when the results of the autopsy would be released.

The lack of information has caused some community members to grow frustrated with the investigation and with authorities.

“That’s part of the problem. The whole community is concerned. It’s disrespectful, to the community and to the family,” said Willie Smith, a retired educator who had taught Byrd.

Since Byrd’s death, rumors have been rampant about how the body was discovered, the condition in which it was found and details that have led many to believe Byrd was murdered.

The photograph depicts the body hanging from a sheet connected to a tree limb 12 to 14 feet above the ground. Byrd’s body is shown to be about three to five feet above the ground and is dressed in what appears to be blue coveralls.

Although unclear, the image indicates Byrd’s head was covered by something black, which Lucas said was a skullcap that Byrd often wore.

In the photo, something appears to be tied to Byrd’s left wrist, but Lucas declined to comment on what may have been on Byrd’s wrist.

“When we found him, his hands were not bound,” Lucas said.

Byrd was cremated and his ashes were buried at the cemetery at Ashland Missionary Baptist Church in Grand Gulf on March 27.

The FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s office, as well as the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, are investigating the hanging.

 

Josh Edwards also contributed to this story

 EDITOR’S NOTE: Out of sensitivity to the family, The Vicksburg Post has chosen not to publish the photograph. Doing so would not have added any additional information to the reports of the photograph.