Body was dumped at Ridgeland landfill

RIDGELAND — No foul play is suspected after the body of a Yazoo City man was dumped at a landfill here in March.

The man is believed to have died of complications related to an illness, the authorities said.

Ridgeland Police Chief Brian Myers said the body was discovered as a dozer was moving recently dumped loads away from the area where incoming garbage trucks drop their contents.

Officials speculate that the man may have gone into a garbage dumpster for food or shelter, but details are scarce.

“This is a terribly unfortunate incident, and there is very little evidence to follow,” Myers said. “We narrowed it down to several commercial garbage trucks that would have been responsible for dumpster pick up. We haven’t been able to determine exactly where he came from.”

The man has been identified as 54-year-old Howard Earl Banks, Jr., of Yazoo City, according to Madison County Deputy Coroner Joel Shows. 

The State Medical Examiner's Office determined that Banks died of complications of a known medical condition, according to Shows.

“No foul play is suspected in the case,” Shows said.

The body of Banks was discovered in the Little Dixie landfill, 1716 North County Line Road, on March 24. The body was not identified until last week. 

According to Myers, the body was found by an employee and was reported at about 1:29 p.m.

"It is believed that he was in the landfill for an hour approximately," Myers said.

Myers said he was found wearing a dark colored t-shirt bearing a yellow “United States Postal Service” logo on the front.