Mississippi Mother Learns Missing Son Killed and Buried By Police Without Notification; High-Profile Civil Rights Lawyer Takes Case

Mother Left Searching for 7 Months After Police Fail to Inform Her of Son's Death in Police-Involved Incident; Son's Body Found Buried in Pauper's Field, Family Notified After Replacement of Lead Investigator on the Case

Legendary civil rights attorney Ben Crump is representing Bettersten Wade, the mother of 37-year-old, Dexter Wade, who was hit by an off-duty Jackson police officer on March 5, 2023. Wade's death was only revealed to his mother on August 24, nearly 6 months after he had been declared missing and after his body had been buried in a pauper's field.
Jackson Mayor, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, attributed the delayed notification to the victim's family to a communication failure between the city's missing person's division, the coroner’s office and accident investigation. However, he denied any police misconduct or malicious intent in the handling of the case.
According to Jackson Director of Communications, Melissa Faith Payne, the Jackson police officers working on missing persons cases were unaware that Dexter Wade was the victim who had died in the incident in March. Only when a new officer took over the case following the lead detective's retirement was the connection made.
Despite the police knowing about Dexter's death from the night of his accident, Bettersten Wade was not informed of her son's death or burial location for months. She had to pay $250 to claim his son's body.
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba regrets the circumstances and called for improvement in communication between the police, coroner’s office and other units. Meanwhile, Bettersten Wade with her attorney, Ben Crump, demand a thorough investigation and justice for the miscarriage of justice.