A Mississippi man, Dau Mabil, went missing under mysterious circumstances and his body was found dead after a search. A state judge has ruled that the body will not be released to family members until law enforcement agencies complete their investigation into the case. Mabil, who escaped a civil war in Sudan and built a new life in America, disappeared on March 25 prompting concerns from civil rights organizations and sparking discord among local law enforcement agencies. Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson has requested a Justice Department investigation into the case.
At a hearing in Jackson, Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas discussed a legal dispute between Mabil’s wife, Karissa Bowley, and his brother, Bul Mabil, regarding the standards for a future independent autopsy. Bowley was questioned about her marriage to Dau Mabil, including text messages detailing arguments between them. Despite objections from Bowley’s attorney that the hearing had become a platform for defamation, Thomas allowed the questioning to proceed. The conflict between Bowley and Bul Mabil began after a body was found in the Pearl River and later confirmed to be Dau Mabil.
The initial state autopsy did not reveal signs of foul play, according to a sheriff, but Bul Mabil disputed these findings and requested an independent medical examiner to examine the body. Bowley’s attorney stated that she did not oppose an additional autopsy by a qualified examiner but wanted it to take place after law enforcement completed their investigation to preserve the integrity of evidence on her late husband’s body. Thomas agreed that the police should finish their investigation before releasing the body and indicated that a second, independent autopsy would likely be permitted. He emphasized the need to find out the truth about what happened to Dau Mabil.
Medical examiners usually do not store a body for the duration of a police investigation, but in this case, it was deemed necessary due to the extraordinary circumstances. An attorney for the state medical examiner’s office stated that authorities would make an exception in this case. Thomas mentioned that he would issue a formal order later in the week to address the specific requests made by Bul Mabil and Bowley regarding the rules for a future autopsy conducted by an independent medical examiner. The case remains under investigation and updates will be provided as more information becomes available. The search for answers regarding Dau Mabil’s death continues as authorities work to uncover the truth.
