Chavis Carter’s death ruled a suicide

The shooting death of 21-year-old Chavis Carter has been ruled a suicide by Arkansas State Crime Lab.

The report states that Carter suffered a gunshot wound in the right temple and that the cause of death is also based on investigative conclusions by the Jonesboro Police Department.

The report does not indicate whether gun residue was on his hands.

“In consideration of the circumstances of death and after autopsy of the body, it is our opinion that Chavis Carter, a 21-year-old black male, died of a gunshot wound of the head.

The agencies responsible for the investigation of his death were the Jonesboro Police Department and the Craighead County Coroner’s Office.

They reported that he was detained during a traffic stop.

He was cuffed and placed into a police car, where apparently he produced a weapon, and despite being handcuffed, shot himself in the head.

At autopsy, the cause of death was a perforating gunshot wound of the head. At the time of
discharge, the muzzle of the gun was placed against the right temporal scalp.

The bullet perforated the cranial cavity, causing brain injuries, skull fractures, and death.

The bullet exited the left side of the head.

The manner of death is based on both autopsy findings and the investigative conclusions of the Jonesboro Police Department.”

Chavis Carter’s mother, Theresa, does not believe her son killed himself. She stated her son wasn’t suicidal.

“I can’t see how, I think they killed him,” she said. “My son wasn’t suicidal.”

As Unheard Voices previously reported, Carter was stopped along with passengers during a routine traffic stop in Jonesboro, Arkansas, about 1/2 hours from Little Rock. He was detained after officers found marijuana and empty baggies. Further investigation found Carter had a warrant in Mississippi, after searching him twice, officers placed him in the back of a patrol car. Minutes later officers allege they hear a thumping noise, and find Carter slumped over dead.

The FBI is also investigating the case and will run ballistics testing on the .380-caliber, cobra semi-automatic handgun that took his life.

The two officers involved in the case have been put on administrative leave.

The Carter family continues to seek answers as they hired the famed Johnny Cochran firm to look further into the case.

Source : WREG