Autopsy Report Released In McMillian Murder

The murder of Marco McMillian shocked the conscience when it was reported a few months ago. A 40-year-old Black gay man's body was found floating in a local levee in Clarksdale, Mississippi, naked, burned and bruised. The FBI announced that they are investigating the circumstances of the death to determine whether it is a hate crime or not.

This weekend details from the autopsy report were released which document the horrific nature of the crime. One key detail is that the previously announced suspect Lawrence Reed has apparently confessed to killing McMillian and dumping his body.

The Advocate summarizes:

Clarksdale mayoral hopeful Marco McMillian “died from a lack of oxygen, but exactly what caused that could not be determined,” the Associated Press reports today. The document from state medical examiner Mark LeVaughn was dated Wednesday. 

“Additional autopsy findings that most likely contributed to his death are multiple areas of blunt force trauma to the head that are consistent with a beating,” LeVaughn wrote. He also said suspect Lawrence Reed “admitted to killing” McMillian and leaving his body near a Mississippi River levee. 

McMillian’s body was found February 27, a day after Reed crashed the candidate’s SUV. The medical examiner’s report also notes there were abrasions, lacerations, and burns on McMillian’s body.

 Now that the facts are coming out we shall be interested to follow the trial and see how the criminal justice system resolves this incident.