MS Inmate Omar Beard Convicted In 2011 Murder Of Eddie Bankhead Found Dead In Jail

RANKIN COUNTY, MS. (THECOUNT) — Columbus man, Omar Beard, the inmate who has been jailed since 2011 over the murder of a disabled man in a wheelchair, was found dead in jail overnight.

Beard, 36, was found dead at Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, in Pearl, MS, early Wednesday morning.

According to Rankin County Coroner David Ruth, Beard was taken from the jail to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, reports WDAM.

His body was taken to the medical examiner’s office where an autopsy will be done.

Coroner Ruth says his death was around 1:00 a.m.

In 2019, Beard pleaded guilty to manslaughter of disabled man, Eddie Bankhead. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was eligible for parole after 10 years.

A cause of death was not provided.

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Geo quick facts: Rankin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The western border of the county is formed by the Pearl River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 141,617, making it the fourth-most populous county in Mississippi. The county seat is Brandon – Wikipedia.