Carolyn Bryant Donham, the woman whose accusations led to the lynching of Emmett Till, has died.
According to a death report from the Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office, Donham died on Tuesday night (25 April) while in hospice care in Westlake, Louisiana.
She was 88-years-old.
The announcement of her death on Thursday (27 April) comes after a biopic about the murdered Mississippi teenager was released in January 2023.
Till was killed after Donham - then known as Caroline Bryant - accused the then-14-year-old of making 'improper advances' and wolf-whistling at her.
She alleged this occurred at her family's store in Money, Mississippi whilst Till had been visiting relatives in 1955.
Evidence indicated that a woman had identified Till to Donham's husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother J.W Milam.
Shortly after this, Till was kidnapped from his home and tortured before his body was thrown into the Tallahatchie River.
He wouldn't be found until three days later, and was only identified by a silver ring he was known to wear.
An all-white jury acquitted Bryant and Milam of the murder - although they later admitted to the crime in an interview.
His mother, Mamie Till, even insisted on an open casket to show the brutality of the crimes against her son.
Because of this, Till posthumously became an icon of the civil rights movement in the late 50s and early 60.
Last year, an 1955 unserved arrest warrant for Carolyn Bryant was found in the basement at the courthouse in Leflore County, Mississippi - under the name 'Mrs. Roy Bryant'.
The search had been initiated by Till's family members and the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation.
Many had hoped that this would let to Donham being prosecuted for her alleged part in the shocking case, however, this was not to happen.
At the time, Bryant was in her late eighties and had been living in North Carolina.
But even after the arrest warrant was found, the office of Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said there was no new evidence to try to pursue a criminal case against Donham.
This led to a grand jury declining to indict her of Till's death.
And just last month, Till's cousin, Priscilla Sterling, filed a lawsuit against Leflore County Sheriff, Ricky Banks, however, his attorney said there was 'no point' serving Donham the arrest warrant due to her previous indictment.
Devery Anderson, the author of 'Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement', commented on her passing, saying: "[Some people] have been clinging to hope that she could be prosecuted. She was the last remaining person who had any involvement.
"Now that can't happen"
Donham's family have yet to release a statement.
Topics: US News, True crime, Crime