Man found hanging in tree in Wilkinson County
Associated Press
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/8502677.htm
WOODVILLE, Miss. - Family members say a man found
Friday hanging from a
tree in rural Mississippi had returned home to fight
for his family's
land.
The body of 52-year-old Roy Veal was discovered in
Wilkinson County,
relatives said.
Warren Strain, spokesman of the Mississippi Department
of Public Safety,
said the body was discovered about midday in a wooded
area of the county
near Woodville. Authorities declined to identify the
man pending
notification of relatives.
But Doris Gordon, a Woodville native now living in San
Francisco, said
the victim was her brother, Roy Veal of Washington
state. Thelma Veal,
the man's mother, also confirmed the identity.
"They found my brother hanging from a tree with a hood
over his head and
some papers burned at his feet," Gordon said in a
telephone interview
with The Associated Press from San Francisco. "It's
awful. We don't know
who did it."
Gordon, who said she would be returning to Woodville
as soon as
possible, said her brother had returned to the family
home in Wilkinson
County "to help with a lawsuit pending against our
family."
"There are people trying to take part of our land
because they
apparently think there is oil on the land," she said.
Officials at the chancery clerk's office in Woodville
said a lawsuit
pending in chancery court names several members of the
Thelma Veal
family, including Doris Gordon and apparently Roy
Veal, as defendants.
Chancery Clerk Thomas Tolliver Jr., said the case
involved title to land
in the county and damages.
Thelma Veal said the lawsuit sought portions of land
owned by her late
husband and his brothers. She said her son had
obtained a map of the
property and was collecting documents to prove the
family owned the
land.
"Now they have found my son hung back there on a
tree," said Thelma
Veal, 79.
She said her husband owned more than 40 acres in the
area southwest of
Woodville and that it was being sought because it
might have oil
deposits.
There is oil production in that area of the state.
"My husband's daddy bought this land in 1926 and I've
been here ever
since I was 18," she said. "It's our land."
Strain said the Highway Patrol's Bureau of
Investigation was looking
into the circumstances around the death.
County Coroner Travis Sharp said he had not been
contacted about the
death and the sheriff's department declined any
comment when contacted
Friday.
Associated Press
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/8502677.htm
WOODVILLE, Miss. - Family members say a man found
Friday hanging from a
tree in rural Mississippi had returned home to fight
for his family's
land.
The body of 52-year-old Roy Veal was discovered in
Wilkinson County,
relatives said.
Warren Strain, spokesman of the Mississippi Department
of Public Safety,
said the body was discovered about midday in a wooded
area of the county
near Woodville. Authorities declined to identify the
man pending
notification of relatives.
But Doris Gordon, a Woodville native now living in San
Francisco, said
the victim was her brother, Roy Veal of Washington
state. Thelma Veal,
the man's mother, also confirmed the identity.
"They found my brother hanging from a tree with a hood
over his head and
some papers burned at his feet," Gordon said in a
telephone interview
with The Associated Press from San Francisco. "It's
awful. We don't know
who did it."
Gordon, who said she would be returning to Woodville
as soon as
possible, said her brother had returned to the family
home in Wilkinson
County "to help with a lawsuit pending against our
family."
"There are people trying to take part of our land
because they
apparently think there is oil on the land," she said.
Officials at the chancery clerk's office in Woodville
said a lawsuit
pending in chancery court names several members of the
Thelma Veal
family, including Doris Gordon and apparently Roy
Veal, as defendants.
Chancery Clerk Thomas Tolliver Jr., said the case
involved title to land
in the county and damages.
Thelma Veal said the lawsuit sought portions of land
owned by her late
husband and his brothers. She said her son had
obtained a map of the
property and was collecting documents to prove the
family owned the
land.
"Now they have found my son hung back there on a
tree," said Thelma
Veal, 79.
She said her husband owned more than 40 acres in the
area southwest of
Woodville and that it was being sought because it
might have oil
deposits.
There is oil production in that area of the state.
"My husband's daddy bought this land in 1926 and I've
been here ever
since I was 18," she said. "It's our land."
Strain said the Highway Patrol's Bureau of
Investigation was looking
into the circumstances around the death.
County Coroner Travis Sharp said he had not been
contacted about the
death and the sheriff's department declined any
comment when contacted
Friday.
