Mississippi man who went missing found with head severed, attorney says

Rasheem Carter, a Black man from Mississippi who went missing late last year after claiming he was being targeted by white men in his community, was found dead with his head severed from his body, according to a recently released independent autopsy.

In light of the results, Carter's family is calling for a federal probe into his death, arguing that the police explanation that there was no foul play does not hold water.

Smith County Sheriff Joel Houston told ABC News the department stands behind its earlier determination that no foul play was involved in Carter's death. Earlier evidence "didn't suggest anything," he said.

"Nothing is being swept under the rug," Houston said. "There's nothing to hide."

Houston added that the department is awaiting results of search warrants to rule out foul play.