Slain Mississippi mayoral candidate was beaten and burned, family says

Marco McMillian, 34, a candidate for mayor of Clarksdale, Miss., who was found dead on the Mississippi River levee Feb. 27.

JACKSON, Miss. — The family of a slain Mississippi mayoral candidate says he was beaten and burned.

Marco McMillian's godfather, Carter Womack, said today that the information came from the Coahoma County coroner. The coroner declined to comment.

Womack said the family was told McMillian's body was dragged under a fence and left near a Mississippi River levee last week.

A person with direct knowledge of the investigation confirmed to The Associated Press that McMillian had bruises and there were burns on at least part of his body. The person wasn't authorized to publicly comment and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The 34-year-old McMillian was a candidate for mayor of Clarksdale. Twenty-two-year-old Lawrence Reed has been charged with murder.

McMillian's campaign says he was Mississippi's first openly gay, viable candidate for public office.