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Contested death (2000 to present)

Roy Malcolm Veal

Ruled suicide, disputedApr 23, 2004 · Age 55 · Wilkinson County, MS

Who Roy was

Roy Malcolm Veal was 55. He grew up in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, and later moved to Washington state.

In April 2004 he was back home, staying at his mother's house in the Donegal community south of Woodville. Reports at the time said he had come home to help with a lawsuit involving his family, and the Washington Post later wrote that he had returned to fight for his family's land.

Very little else about his life is on the public record.

What happened

Roy Malcolm Veal, 55, a Wilkinson County native who'd moved to Washington state, was found hanging from a tree in rural Wilkinson County, near Woodville, in April 2004 while he was visiting his mother. The Natchez Democrat gave the date as April 23; the Washington Post later gave it as April 22. Neither source says who found him or who last saw him. The Post reported he'd come home to fight for his family's land, and that relatives believed he was lynched.

The Wilkinson County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Reginald Jackson, handled the scene with the state Department of Public Safety and the coroner's office, and the FBI monitored the work at Jackson's request. Coroner Travis Sharpe ruled the death a suicide. Circuit Judge Lillie Blackmon Sanders convened a grand jury on June 14, 2004, and it reached the same conclusion; District Attorney Ronnie L. Harper said the panel reached its findings independently. Lynching rumors spread online during the investigation and kept circulating for months.

On Aug. 16, 2004, the FBI said it found no evidence of foul play. U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton said "there is no evidence of a Federal criminal violation" and that he wouldn't seek further federal investigation. Public Safety Commissioner Rusty Fortenberry said some people had used the death to promote an old stereotype of Mississippi. In 2021, a Woodville sheriff's spokesman told the Post the case was with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. No charges have been filed.

The case

Where found
Tree in rural Wilkinson County, near his mother's home
Official finding
Suicide (Wilkinson County Coroner; a grand jury convened June 14, 2004 reached the same conclusion)
Time to finding
About seven weeks to grand jury finding
Investigation
Wilkinson County Sheriff's Office and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, with the FBI monitoring at the sheriff's request. A grand jury convened June 14, 2004 found suicide.
Family position
Family members said they believed he was murdered.
Public evidence
Coroner's ruling and grand jury finding. The U.S. Attorney said there was no evidence of a federal criminal violation.
Federal review
The FBI monitored the case at the sheriff's request and said in August 2004 it found no evidence of foul play. The U.S. Attorney declined further investigation.
Last verified
2026-11-14

Sources

Record history

  1. Nov 14, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Status: Ruled suicide, disputed
  2. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • What happened updated
    • What happened sources updated
  3. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Age: 55
    • Official finding: Suicide (Wilkinson County Coroner; a grand jury convened June 14, 2004 reached the same conclusion)
    • Family position: Family members said they believed he was murdered.
    • Federal review: The FBI monitored the case at the sheriff's request and said in August 2004 it found no evidence of foul play. The U.S. Attorney declined further investigation.
  4. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Life updated
    • Remembered updated
    • Life sources updated
  5. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Case added
    • Name: Roy Malcolm Veal
    • Date found: 2004-04-23
    • City or county: Wilkinson County
    • State: MS
    • Status: Ruled suicide
    • Where found: Tree in rural Wilkinson County, near his mother's home
    • Official finding: Suicide (Wilkinson County Coroner; grand jury agreed June 2004)
    • Time to finding: About seven weeks to grand jury finding
    • Investigation: Wilkinson County Sheriff's Office and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, with the FBI monitoring at the sheriff's request. A grand jury convened June 14, 2004 found suicide.
    • Family position: Not publicly stated in sources reviewed.
    • Public evidence: Coroner's ruling and grand jury finding. The U.S. Attorney said there was no evidence of a federal criminal violation.
    • Federal review: FBI monitored; U.S. Attorney declined further federal action (2004).
    • Sources updated