The family of 25-year-old Black man, Rasheem Carter, who was found dead with his head severed last October, is set to hold a protest after being notified that a third set of his remains was located.
The Mississippi Crime Lab notified the family that remains found on Feb. 23 matched Carter’s DNA.
According to the family’s attorney, Ben Crump, the family was notified through an email and they are still being stonewalled at every turn.
The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, and Carter’s family released a statement criticizing the way the family found out and demanding the return of the additional remains so that they can lay him to rest.
the statement said, “It is unacceptable that the family had to find out through an email that more of Rasheem’s remains were found, and still, they haven’t been told any other information, been offered a meeting with officials, or received his remains.”
“They continue to be stonewalled at every turn. This family just wants to find out what happened to Rasheem and say their goodbyes – they ask that the additional remains be returned to them so that they can lay him to rest.”
Carter went missing just days after telling his mother and the police that white men in his community were targeting him.
A month later, his remains were found in a wooded area south of Taylorsville.
In addition to Carter’s head being severed, his spinal cord was recovered in a separate area from his head. The medical examiner ruled that the cause and manner of death were undetermined.
The Smith County Police Department originally ruled out foul play in the case, but officials later admitted that they believed he was murdered.
Crump said last month after the release of the autopsy report by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office, “One thing is for certain … this was not a natural killing. This was not a natural death. This represents a young man who was killed.”
Carter’s family and attorneys have called for a federal probe from the US Department of Justice into his death. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the incident.
