Part 2: Seeking Clarity for the Death of Tristan Sheppard, for He No Longer Can Speak WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

On April 6, 2024, our beloved family member, 27-year-old Tristan Sheppard, died under deeply, suspicious circumstances in Centreville, Alabama. More than a year later, we are still without answers, and local officials continue to obstruct our efforts to discover the truth; what are they hiding?

The official narrative is that Tristan drowned. However, the reality appears far more complex. The family believes this was not a simple drowning, and the involvement of multiple law enforcement agencies (including the Centreville Police Department, Brent Police Department, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, and Alabama State Troopers) appears to suggest a deliberate cover-up is underway.

It remains unclear whether all officers present the night of the incident (at the Cahaba River, at Bibb Medical Center, and at Tristan’s home) were complicit in what we believe was a modern-day lynching, or if only two officers were directly involved. Still, we ask: why did it require so many officers, including Chief Rodney Smith and Officer Michael Pate, to deliver news of Tristan’s death to his parents?

As we piece together more of what happened, we grow increasingly concerned about the lengths to which it appears local officials are going to conceal/delay the facts. The family has been denied access to crucial evidence, including the police reports of the incident, complete body and dashboard camera footage, and the State of Alabama Department of Forensics official autopsy findings with accompanying photographs.

Centreville Police Chief Rodney Smith held a press conference early in the investigation, two days after Tristan's death. We now know that key details were omitted/fabricated in both his public statements and the media coverage that cited him. This raises grave and critical questions:

Was the Coroner’s report sufficiently inclusive of all facts?

What role did the physician at Bibb Medical Center play?

These are not baseless inquiries and concerns—they are the result of disturbing inconsistencies, and a pattern of obstruction experienced by our family since our loved one’s death.

More details are forthcoming.

In March 2025, nearly 11 months after Tristan’s death, Bibb County Coroner Patrick Turner finally issued a certified Death Certificate. It lists the cause of death as accidental drowning. However, the family has not been provided any explanation for what shows as clear physical trauma Tristan suffered: bruises, lacerations, and other injuries that were plainly evident on his face, arms, back, and leg.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The attached images speak volumes about what truly happened to Tristan. Contrary to Chief Rodney Smith’s repeated claims that there was “no physical contact” before Tristan entered the river and that “protocols were followed,” the evidence tells a different story. If what happened to Tristan represents “protocol,” every member of this community should be concerned. If this is protocol, which child of Bibb County is next? If this is protocol, which child of Brent is next? If this is protocol, which child of Centreville is next?

The injuries, allegedly, Tristan sustained—head injury, his battered face, a possible broken neck, blood covering his body, and what appears to be a gunshot wound to the upper thigh covered with an appearance of some form of foreign material, trying to cover it up. None of this was ever mentioned in any press conference or in any documents, to date.

Why?

Could this explain why the Coroner rushed to place Tristan’s body in a body bag, preventing his parents from seeing or identifying him the night of the allegedly “drowning”? Is this why we are still being denied access to the official autopsy report with forensic photographs?

In the days leading up to the first anniversary of Tristan’s death, the local District Attorney indicated that he will be presenting the case before a Grand Jury, and that he was looking into the investigation into the officer involved. The family welcomes this step, but continues to ask:

How and why did Tristan really end up in the Cahaba River dead?

The responsible party(s) must be held to account for his death.

Was it one, or two officers involved (as a number of community members suggest) or every officer who stood by and allowed it to happen? They all had a duty to protect Tristan.

We will not stop seeking justice. We’ve only just begun.