James Byrd Jr Autopsy Report Revealed The Gruesome Details

Today, twenty years ago, three white men offered James Byrd a ride to the East Texas hamlet of Jasper, and Unfortunately, this was his last ride. 

James Byrd Jr. was dragged in agony for miles on a paved road while being chained to the back of a truck by his ankles. 

What happened with James Byrd?

The incident took place on June 7, 1998. Byrd was given that deadly ride by three individuals who were later identified as Shawn Berry, Lawrence Russell Brewer, and John William King.

Berry, Brewer, and King decided against taking Byrd home and instead headed east out of Jasper before stopping at a tiny clearing in the woods. 

Due to the disturbed soil, upturned grass, and shattered beer bottle, all of which were indicative of a battle, investigators were convinced that there was a fight in the area. 

The investigators also discovered a number of items in the clearing that might have been left behind during a struggle or that might have fallen out of a truck while someone was being dragged out.

The three men in the clearing beat Byrd, and Brewer sprayed his face black. Byrd was tied to the back of Berry’s pickup truck by his ankles after the beating.

Following the back road, the vehicle made a U-turn onto Huff Creek Road’s paved surface. Byrd had been carried about three kilometers.

The autopsy report revealed the gruesome details of his murder

Byrd’s personal belongings were discovered by the investigators strewn across the tarmac and dirt trail. 

His body appeared to have landed awkwardly in a roadside drainage ditch on the right side of the street, striking the rough edge of a concrete culvert slightly below the right arm. 

After dumping James Byrd’s dismembered remains in the town’s segregated Black cemetery, King, Berry, and Brewer headed to a barbecue.

According to Brewer, Byrd had his neck cut prior to the dragging. 

An autopsy report revealed that Byrd was alive while being dragged and only passed away when his head, shoulder, and right arm were severed when his body struck the ditch.

Where are the killers now?

The following morning, Byrd’s decapitated body was discovered by a driver.

Police discovered a wrench along the route where Byrd was dragged, with Berry scribbled on it. 

A lighter with the moniker Possum, King’s jail nickname, was also discovered. The police found 81 locations where Byrd’s remains were partially preserved.

State law enforcement officers concluded that the murder was a hate crime since Brewer and King were well-known white supremacists. 

Less than 24 hours after finding Byrd’s remains, they contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Due to the extraordinary circumstances of the case, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Houston office stated that they were assisting.

All three individuals were convicted of capital murder following three separate trials. Berry received a life term in jail, while Brewer and King received death sentences and were executed in 2011 and 2019, respectively.

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