Sylvester Hanes, a 21-year-old Black man, was found dead in a vacant lot in Greenville, Mississippi, during a welfare check at 7:42 a.m. on Friday, May 14, 2021. Officers from the Greenville Police Department discovered he had sustained gunshot wounds to his face and opened the matter as a homicide.

Law enforcement confirmed his identity and the violent nature of his death. The investigation is ongoing.

If anyone in Greenville has information about Sylvester Hanes, his movements that morning, or anything seen in the 300 block of North Harvey Street around May 14, 2021, please contact the Greenville Police Department.