Family Believes Gay Mississippi Mayoral Candidate’s Murder Was a Hate Crime

The family of Marco McMillian, an openly gay candidate for mayor in Clarksdale, Mississippi, is now publicly challenging authorities for refusing to investigate his murder as a hate crime. McMillian's body was found in the woods last week and 22-year-old Lawrence Reed, who was in an accident while driving McMillian's car, has been arrested. Now the family has revealed that McMillian was beaten, dragged, and set on fire before his naked body was dumped near a river. "We feel this was not a random act of violence based on the condition of the body when it was found," the family said in a statement. "Marco, nor anyone, should have their lives end in this manner."