Contested death (2000 to present)

Izell Parrott

Ruled suicide, disputedApproximate: found in 2006, about 14 months after he went missing in February 2005. Exact date not confirmed. · Age 61 · Glens Falls, NY

What happened

Izell "Izzy" Parrott was a 61-year-old barbecue chef well known in Glens Falls, New York. He went missing in February 2005, and his family reported him missing. In 2006, about 14 months later, his body was found in a tree in woods near the site of a planned industrial park. A relative's campaign page says an archaeological crew had first found his wallet in the area. After an autopsy, authorities ruled the death a suicide and investigators closed the file.

Izell's family doubted the ruling. They said he could not have climbed to where he was found, and his daughter sought answers. Facing South reported that a friend described tensions over his friendships with white women and said the letters KKK had been carved into a tree in his yard. Officials have not confirmed that account.

In 2012 Investigation Discovery featured his death in a special on disputed hanging deaths. In 2020 a relative began raising money for a documentary and an independent forensic review. The suicide ruling still stands.

The case

Where found: Tree in a wooded area near the site of a planned industrial park
Official finding: Suicide (autopsy at Albany Medical, as described by a relative's campaign page; Investigation Discovery's 2012 release says authorities ruled suicide)
Investigation: Authorities ruled the death a suicide and closed the file, according to the Investigation Discovery release and a relative's campaign page. No official statement was located. His death was featured in Investigation Discovery's 2012 special "The Injustice Files: At the End of a Rope."
Family position: His family doubted he could have climbed to where he was found, and his daughter sought answers and closure (Investigation Discovery release, 2012). In 2020 a relative launched a documentary fundraising campaign saying the family cannot accept the suicide finding as the final truth.
Public evidence: Facing South reported that a friend described community tensions over his friendships with white women and said the letters KKK had been carved into a tree in his yard. The relative's campaign page says a racial slur had been spray-painted on a tree in his backyard. Neither claim was confirmed by officials.
Federal review: None reported
Last verified: 2026-11-14

Verification note: Sources differ on the date: Investigation Discovery says he disappeared in February 2005; Facing South dates the death to 2006 and says he had been missing 14 months.

Sources

Record history

Nov 14, 2026 · Reviewed update
Record updated
- Verification note: Sources differ on the date: Investigation Discovery says he disappeared in February 2005; Facing South dates the death to 2006 and says he had been missing 14 months.
Nov 14, 2026 · Reviewed update
Case added
- Name: Izell Parrott
- Age: 61
- Date found: 2006-04-01
- Date label if approximate: Approximate: found in 2006, about 14 months after he went missing in February 2005. Exact date not confirmed.
- City or county: Glens Falls
- State: NY
- Status: Ruled suicide, disputed
- What happened updated
- What happened sources updated
- Where found: Tree in a wooded area near the site of a planned industrial park
- Official finding: Suicide (autopsy at Albany Medical, as described by a relative's campaign page; Investigation Discovery's 2012 release says authorities ruled suicide)
- Investigation: Authorities ruled the death a suicide and closed the file, according to the Investigation Discovery release and a relative's campaign page. No official statement was located. His death was featured in Investigation Discovery's 2012 special "The Injustice Files: At the End of a Rope."
- Family position: His family doubted he could have climbed to where he was found, and his daughter sought answers and closure (Investigation Discovery release, 2012). In 2020 a relative launched a documentary fundraising campaign saying the family cannot accept the suicide finding as the final truth.
- Public evidence: Facing South reported that a friend described community tensions over his friendships with white women and said the letters KKK had been carved into a tree in his yard. The relative's campaign page says a racial slur had been spray-painted on a tree in his backyard. Neither claim was confirmed by officials.
- Federal review: None reported
- Verification note: Sources differ on the date: Investigation Discovery says he disappeared in February 2005; Facing South dates the death to 2006 and says he had been missing 14 months. Two Post-Star articles (the 2006 report on finding his body and a 2020 piece on the documentary) could not be opened. Use them to confirm the date found and the official finding.
- Sources updated