Days after Sadie Roberts-Joseph, the 75-year-old Baton Rouge African-American history museum founder who was found dead in the trunk of her car, officials have confirmed that she was murdered.
According to CNN, the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office determined that after conducting an autopsy Roberts-Joseph died from “traumatic asphyxia, including suffocation.” However, Coroner Beau Clark clarified that she was not strangled, saying without elaboration that her nose and mouth were blocked.
Clark and police are not releasing any more information about her death, including the types of wounds (if any) found on her body. A toxicology report will be conducted with the results being available in the next three weeks.
Last Friday afternoon, Roberts-Joseph’s body was discovered after an anonymous caller reported finding her in the trunk of her car, which was reportedly located three miles from her home.
Roberts-Joseph was known as a tenacious civil rights advocate and activist in the Baton Rouge area who founded the Odell S. Williams Now and then African American Museum in 2001. She also hosted annual Juneteenth festivities in the city.
In an emotional post on the Baton Rouge’s Facebook page, the longtime activist was hailed as a “tireless advocate of peace in the community.”
“Ms. Sadie was a tireless advocate of peace in the community. We had opportunities to work with her on so many levels. From assisting with her bicycle give away at the African American Museum to working with the organization she started called CADAV (Community Against Drugs and Violence) Ms. Sadie is a treasure to our community, she will be missed by BRPD and her loss will be felt in the community she served,” they wrote.
Adding, “Our detectives are working diligently to bring the person or persons responsible for this heinous act to justice.”
Her niece Pat LeDuff recently told CNN that her aunt was an “icon” and “a hero.”
Police are currently investigating her murder and have stressed that “there will be no investigative lead that will not be exhausted in this investigation.”
Rest in power Sadie.
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Sadie Roberts-Joseph’s Death Ruled A Homicide, ‘Traumatic Asphyxia’ was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
