"One thing is for certain," Crump said. "This was not a natural death. This represents a young man who was killed."
In a statement on social media, the Smith County Sheriff’s Department did not elaborate on why they believed there was no foul play or what led them to the wooded area where Carter's remains were found.
CHOCTAWS ANNOUNCE EXPANSION AT SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI CASINO
The death of a Mississippi man whose body parts were found dismembered has prompted calls for a federal investigation.
Crump said Carter's autopsy revealed his head was severed from his body, and some of his body parts were found in different locations.
"What that tells us is this was a nefarious act, an evil act," Crump said. "Someone murdered Rasheem Carter, and we cannot let them get away with this."
His family said the day before his disappearance, Carter, who is Black, went to the Taylorsville Police Department and reported that he feared for his safety because men were after him, WAPT-TV reported. They say they believe his killing might have been racially motivated.