Mississippi state lawmaker Jessica Upshaw (R), 53, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head on Sunday, according to WLOX. Some of the facts surrounding her death are interesting, but not enough is known yet to draw concrete conclusions. Read on to find out what we know so far.
1. It Was an Apparent Suicide
Rep. Upshaw was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head, believed to be self-inflicted. The results of an autopsy are being anxiously awaited, but until then it’s hard to speculate on what truly happened.
2. She Was Found in a Former Colleague’s Home
Upshaw was found in the home of former fellow state Rep. Clint Rotenberry, 60, in Mendenhall, Mississippi, according to The Daily Mail. It’s unclear what Upshaw was doing at his home, and he’s been unreachable for comment. He wasn’t arrested when Upshaw was found. Rotenberry is married, and Upshaw was single. It appears they’ve known each other for quite some time — the two were connected to one another’s children through Facebook.
3. She Was the Fifth Mississipi Legislator to Die in Five Months
Upshaw was the fifth legislator to pass away in as many months, although the circumstances were different in the others. The other deaths were from natural causes, while this apparent suicide seems anything but natural. Democratic Rep. David Gibbs, of West Point, died January 13, and Joe Gardner of died last month of a heart attack at the age of 68.
4. She Was Unmarried
Upshaw was unmarried, but she is survived by an adult daughter working as an engineer in South Korea. The two were reportedly very close, and they’d just seen each other recently so that Upshaw could meet her infant granddaughter. Her marital status brings new questions to light, some that will hopefully be answered as more details start coming in.
5. She Was a Loving Grandmother
Upshaw was known to her colleagues and community members as a family-oriented person with a lot to give, and someone who was devoted to what she believed in. She’d only just met her granddaughter, the child of her daughter who she’s very close with. The circumstances that could have led to her possible suicide are still being investigated by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.