A private autopsy signed Dec. 20 by a forensic pathologist says the death of a Black man found hanging from a carport in rural Colbert County needs further investigation to rule out “staged suicide.”

The body of Dennoriss Richardson, 42, who filed a federal lawsuit in March 2024 against Sheffield police for brutality while he was held in the city jail, was found hanging on Sept. 28 at an abandoned house. Colbert County Sheriff Eric Balentine ruled the death a suicide but asked the FBI to investigate to provide transparency in the case.

The private autopsy report signed by Dr. Adel Shaker ruled the cause of death as “Asphyxia Secondary to Neck Compression,” but left open the possibility of homicide and called for an investigation to rule out a staged suicide. It noted the absence of a hyoid bone, a bone in the throat that is crucial to determination of suicide by hanging.

“The article/ligature rope used at the scene did not accompany the body for examination,” Dr. Shaker wrote. “The crime scene photographs should be made available and studied carefully. The absence of the hyoid bone makes it difficult to determine if it was homicide or suicide. A thorough and meticulous investigation should be carried out to rule out staged suicide.”

The family said they asked for a private autopsy because they wanted an independent investigator to look at the evidence.

Meanwhile, the official ruling from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences classified Richardson’s death as suicide, according to the latest autopsy report released Dec. 26 and sent to the sheriff.

“Nothing’s changed, the official FBI investigation is still ongoing,” Balentine said Thursday. “My investigator received that official report on the 26th and he forwarded that information to the (FBI) agent in charge.”

Balentine said he was not aware of any details in the family’s private autopsy.

As far as the official autopsy, it simply confirmed the preliminary finding of suicide, he said.

“They get those preliminary results back pretty quick; we had those within the week (after the Sept. 28 death,” Balentine said. “It’s taken three months to get the official (report) back.”

Civil rights attorney Roderick Van Daniel, who represented Richardson in the federal lawsuit against Sheffield police, questions why the full body was not intact for the private autopsy.

“For the hyoid bone to be missing, it is a very crucial piece of evidence to determine suicide or homicide,” Van Daniel said. “Everything should be intact. It raises further questions for the family.”

Van Daniel said he has sent the private autopsy to the FBI for consideration.

About 100 supporters of the Richardson family marched Nov. 23 from Sheffield City Hall to the Colbert County Courthouse in Tuscumbia, chanting “Justice for Nana,” a nickname for Richardson, who coached in youth sports leagues. A series of speakers called for further investigation of Richardson’ death.

Any further investigation will have to come from the FBI, the sheriff said.

“It’s their investigation now,” Balentine said.