Smith County Sheriff’s Office Investigates Potential Homicide of 25-Year-Old Black Man, Rasheem Carter

The Smith County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi is now investigating the death of Rasheem Carter, a 25-year-old Black man, as a potential homicide. Carter was found dead in a wooded area on November 2, 2022, with his body dismembered.

Carter had graduated from Hinds Community College in Utica, Mississippi in 2016 with a degree in welding and cutting technology, and had gone to work for a railroad company in Brookhaven, Mississippi. His mother, Tiffany Carter, described him as “very outgoing” and “loving sports.”

Carter had warned his mother that he was being chased by white men hurling racial slurs shortly before his death. In an interview with NBC News, Smith County Sheriff Joel Houston said that his department had initially ruled out foul play in Carter’s death, but that they are now waiting on search warrants to rule more definitively.

Houston defended his early determination, saying that no evidence at the time pointed to homicide. He also said that his department is still actively investigating the case and has not ruled out the possibility of murder.

Carter’s family and friends are still mourning the loss of their loved one, and are hoping that the investigation will bring them closure. They are asking anyone with information about Carter’s death to come forward and contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.