Son Of Ferguson Activist Found Hanged From Tree, Police Investigating As Suicide While Mother Says He Was Lynched

The 24-year-old son of Ferguson activist #MelissaMcKinnies was found dead hanging from a tree.

On Oct. 17, authorities found Danye Jones hanging from a tree in the backyard of his mother’s house in the 1400 block of Criterion Avenue in Spanish Lake. After finding her son’s body, McKinnie took to Facebook to share the graphic photos of her son, which have since gone viral. “They lynched my baby. I’m sick and losing my mind but I had to let the world see what they did to my baby!” she added. The hashtag #WhatHappenedToDanyeJones has made its way through Twitter and other social media platforms.

McKinnies is a well-known activist in her community. She is a former member of the Ferguson activist group Lost Voices and participated in protests for Michael Brown. Brown was fatally shot on Aug. 2014 by a police officer. Jones’ death is the third to strike the city of Ferguson’s activists after DeAndre Joshua was found dead in his car with two gunshot wounds to the head on the night of the Ferguson verdict in 2014. Two years later, activist Darren Seals was found dead in his car with two gunshot wounds to the head as well.

Another activist, #EdwardCrawford, who famously was photographed throwing a tear gas canister back at police, was also found dead in his car. Police claimed Crawford committed suicide, but after his death, Missouri State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal tweeted that there was a serial murderer targeting Ferguson activists.

A medical examiner is waiting on a toxicology test before determining the cause of death. For now, authorities are considering his death, like the others, a suicide. A gathering of support for McKinnies is scheduled for Thursday (Nov. 1) at 5 p.m. outside the Clayton Justice Center.