Bodies Of Missing Woman, Child Found In Tombigbee River Believed To Be Result Of Suicide–Homicide

SUMTER COUNTY, AL — Authorities have confirmed that the deaths of a missing Mississippi woman and her 3-year-old child, whose bodies were recovered from the Tombigbee River in late September, were the result of drowning, with investigators ruling the case a suicide–homicide.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation released its findings Thursday, offering the first detailed account since the recovery of the bodies of 32-year-old Shardeé McGill and her young child in a case that drew regional attention after the pair went missing from Jackson, Mississippi.

Patch previously reported that McGill and her child were last known to be in Jackson on Sept. 21.

Their disappearance prompted concern after McGill’s 2017 Chevrolet Equinox was discovered on Sept. 23 in the Epes community of Sumter County, positioned near the riverbank.

A multi-agency search effort began immediately and on Sept. 25 search teams recovered an adult body from the Tombigbee River.

The next day, a child’s body was located nearby.

Both were taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for autopsy and formal identification, which later confirmed they were McGill and her child.

According to ALEA’s latest statement, forensic findings determined that both victims died from drowning before investigators ruled McGill’s death a suicide and classified the child's death as a homicide, naming McGill as the suspect.

ALEA said no additional suspects are believed to be involved.

Multiple agencies worked on the investigation, including the FBI, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the 17th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jackson Police Department.

ALEA said no further information will be released while the investigation remains open.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com