Partygoers Claimed Black Missouri Teen Derontae Martin Died by Suicide, Inquest Finds He Didn’t

Three months after a Black teenager was discovered lifeless of a gunshot wound to his head within the house of a person who flies a Accomplice flag, a coroner’s inquest has rejected the preliminary ruling that the 19-year-old died of suicide and located the teenager was actually killed by violence.

It took solely two hours for a six-person jury to make its determination on Friday within the demise of Derontae Martin, who was discovered lifeless in an attic on April 25 at a rural house outdoors of Park Hills, Missouri, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

A handful of partygoers advised EMTs who had been referred to as to the scene within the early hours of the morning that Martin shot himself. However the circumstances surrounding Martin’s demise by no means made sense to his members of the family, who’ve insisted there was foul play.

A main point of contention was the initial autopsy performed on Martin, which decided the gun had been fired in shut vary resulting from a soot ring on Martin’s left temple. However Martin’s mom Ericka Lotts employed her personal pathologist to conduct a second post-mortem. This time, the professional mentioned she discovered no soot ring and concluded the gun had been fired from “two or three ft, or extra away.”

Dr. Russell Deidiker, the pathologist who carried out the preliminary post-mortem report, was one of many dozen individuals referred to as to testify on the inquest. Deidiker mentioned he stood by his report, claiming the second pathologist didn’t discover a soot ring close to the wound as a result of Martin’s physique had been cleaned throughout the embalming course of. Martin’s mom mentioned she by no means gave permission for his physique to be embalmed, nonetheless.

Within the months after Martin’s demise, his household additionally needed solutions from James Wade, the proprietor of the house the place Martin died, who had a historical past of sharing racially offensive posts on Fb and flies a Accomplice flag outdoors his house.

One of many posts shared by Wade was an image of a Black man with a series hanging from his neck paired with the caption, “My nice nice nice grandfather’s tractor,” according to KSDK. One other was a photograph of a black canine with the caption, “I had a black canine as soon as. I named him Foodstamps.” Different posts on Wade’s Fb web page defended the Accomplice flag and mocked international accents, in keeping with St. Louis Submit-Dispatch. Earlier within the 12 months, he reportedly shared a meme that depicted somebody waving the center finger, with the caption, “Right here’s my apology for being white.”

In Could, Wade tried to defend his offensive posts, telling KSDK, “They’re already on Fb, I simply shared them, it’s not like I made them up or put them there, proper. I’m not a racist.”

Wade testified on the inquest, admitting that he has used racial slurs, however stating that he didn’t kill Martin. Investigators say Wade handed a polygraph take a look at when requested immediately if had shot {the teenager}.

In the course of the inquiry, new data was additionally offered from a tipster who claimed Wade had requested him for “again up” whereas at an area Walmart just a few days after Martin died, believing protesters could be displaying up at his house because of the outcry over Martin’s demise. The person claimed in court docket that Wade admitted to killing Martin, utilizing racial slurs when referring to him.

In the course of the inquest, Wade mentioned he had spoken to the person however claimed he had advised him, “I in all probability might have shot him and gotten much less warmth from his individuals than what I obtained now from making an attempt to assist the man.”

It’s unclear what’s going to occur subsequent, because the Madison County Sheriff’s Division and Missouri Freeway Patrol should now reopen the investigation into Martin’s demise. Madison County Prosecutor M. Dwight Robbins didn’t make any assertion to the press on the conclusion of the inquest.

Martin’s household is overjoyed with the information. “I’m so glad and joyful that they noticed by all their lies, they usually noticed the reality, that my child didn’t kill himself,” his mom mentioned. “I’m joyful. I’m joyful that any individual else noticed. Glory to God. I might simply shout. However we obtained an extended strategy to go, so we’ll simply carry on praying and carry on trusting within the Lord.”