Autopsy results released for black Mississippi man found dead in Pearl River (06/21/24)

BILOXI, Miss. (WLBT) - A Belhaven man who was found dead in the Pearl River back in April died of drowning, according to the State Medical Examiner’s Office.

On Friday, the examiner released findings from the postmortem exam performed on Dau Mabil.

Mabil went missing back in March and was found dead, face-down in the Pearl River the following month.

“Based on the decedent’s past medical history, the circumstances surrounding the death, scene findings, autopsy results, and ancillary study outcomes, the cause of death is drowning,” the report states.

While the cause of death was identified, State Medical Examiner Dr. Ariane Robison couldn’t determine why he drowned, largely due to the condition of his remains.

“The state of postmortem decomposition of the remains and a lack of comprehensive contextual information precluded a conclusive determination about the manner of death,” she wrote. “However, if additional investigative details emerge in the future, this case will be re-evaluated and re-assessed accordingly.”

The report was signed off on by Robison and Medical Examiner Dr. Paul Uribe.

The autopsy was performed at the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office in Biloxi on April 18 by Robison.

According to findings, there were no signs of trauma or injuries that contributed to Mabil’s demise, nor did he have any disease or physical condition that could have contributed.

Postmortem toxicology revealed a presence of ethanol present in the decomposition fluid. When his body was examined, it had already experienced “moderately advanced” decay.

Mabil was last seen alive on March 25, when he left his home to take a walk.

Video footage from around 12:30 that afternoon showed him walking along Jefferson Street between Fortification and High streets, wearing blue Adidas joggers, an orange shirt, and a yellow hooded sweatshirt around his waist.

His body was found on April 13. On April 18, Lawrence County Sheriff Ryan Everett confirmed the remains were Mabil.