22-Year-Old Charged in Gay Mayoral Candidate's Death

Update: March 1, 1:30 p.m. EST: Lawrence Reed, 22, of Shelby, Miss., has been charged with murder in connection with the death of Marco McMillian, Reuters reports. Authorities said nothing about his motive or what led to his arrest. 

Earlier:

Marco McMillian, a 34-year-old Democrat who was running for mayor of Clarksdale, Miss., was found dead on Wednesday in what authorities are investigating as a homicide, CBS News reports.

The case is drawing extra attention in part because McMillian, who was running in an area known for its conservative politics, was both African American and openly gay. Campaign spokesman Jarod Keith told CBS that McMillian's campaign was noteworthy because he may have been the first openly gay man to be a viable candidate for public office in the state.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Institute tweeted: "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Marco McMillian, one of the 1st viable openly (hash)LGBT candidates in Mississippi."

McMillian's campaign said in a statement that words cannot describe "our grief at the loss of our dear friend."

Read more at CBS.

Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. 

 

Tweet