We are petitioning Governor Kay Ivey, the Mayors of Brent and Centreville (Alabama), the District Attorney for Bibb County, the Attorney General of Alabama, and all Alabama State Senators and Representatives to take immediate and decisive action to uncover the full truth behind the suspicious death of 27-year-old Tristan Sheppard, who died in Centreville, Alabama, on April 6, 2024. More than a year has passed, yet the family and community remain without answers.

The circumstances surrounding Tristan’s death remain unclear and deeply troubling. We demand transparency, accountability, and an independent investigation to ensure justice is served. The people of Alabama, and especially Tristan’s grieving family and the Bibb County Community, deserve honest answers and meaningful action.

The family believes Tristan’s civil rights were violated and that a pattern of police misconduct and a coordinated cover-up exists in Bibb County.

Authorities claim that Tristan drowned in the Cahaba River. However, the family has been repeatedly denied access to essential information, including police reports, body-worn and dashboard camera footage, and even Tristan’s personal belongings.

Local law enforcement has stated that their investigation is complete. Meanwhile, the District Attorney has indicated that he intends to present the case to a grand jury. We are troubled that after more than a year, this still has not occurred. The continued delays are both painful and unjust.

Independent findings and firsthand accounts raise serious concerns. Tristan’s body bore multiple bruises, lacerations, and injuries inconsistent with drowning. Witnesses report that he was handcuffed, beaten, and that gunshots were heard—contradicting Centreville Police Chief Rodney Smith’s claim that officers had no physical contact with Tristan prior to him entering the water.

Even more devastating, the Mother was denied the opportunity to see or identify her son’s body on the night of his death. The Mother was misled about his whereabouts and had to wait days until the state autopsy was completed. She was denied access to her child without any valid justification.

The family later learned that the state autopsy was completed in June 2024, yet the family has still not received the official autopsy report or the forensic photographs taken of Tristan’s body.

This is about more than one tragic death. It is about the need for truth, justice, and accountability in our state. Many in the Bibb County community have experienced similar abuse of power and excessive force, but fear retaliation if they speak out, including losing their livelihoods.

The involvement of multiple agencies (including the Centreville Police Department, Brent Police Department, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, and Alabama State Troopers) raises questions about a broader cover-up. It remains unclear whether all officers present that night (at the river, the hospital, and the parents’ home of Tristan) were complicit, or whether only two officers were directly involved, as some in the community have suggested. What happened to Tristan may well have been a modern-day lynching.

We respectfully urge you to take immediate action by calling for a full, independent investigation into Tristan’s death. Specifically, we request the following:

·         A full and independent investigation, with your assistance in obtaining all relevant records and evidence;

·         Immediate release of all police reports related to the incident;

·         Full release of all body-worn and dashboard camera footage from every officer involved;

·         Delivery of the official autopsy report, including forensic photographs, to the family;

·         A review of the records of all officers involved, including prior complaints or disciplinary actions.

This past Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025, Tristan would have turned 29. Instead of celebrating his life, his Mother endured another painful year mourning his absence, still without answers or truth. Just weeks later, his Father faced yet another Father’s Day grieving the loss of his son.

We ask you to sign this petition to help shed light on what really happened regarding Tristan’s tragic death and give the family the answers they have been seeking.