St. Petersburg police and the medical examiner classified Syriah Henderson’s death as a suicide after she was found hanging from a tree behind the Dollar Tree at 3426 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg on July 1, 2026. They reported no signs of a struggle or injuries inconsistent with suicide, Creative Loafing Tampa reported.
Henderson’s obituary records her death on July 1 and says she was a Tampa native who had lived there for 29 years. It names Dakari, Noah and Olivia as her children and says her funeral service took place July 18 at Ray Williams Memorial Chapel in Tampa, according to Ray Williams Memorial Chapel’s obituary.
The International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM) is conducting a separate inquiry into Henderson’s death as a homicide; that is the group’s position, not an official determination. The group scheduled an October 13 press conference about the case, according to Patch. Creative Loafing Tampa reported that Henderson’s mother, Nevela Williams, spoke at the gathering at Uhuru House that morning.
At the gathering, Williams questioned whether detectives had sought surveillance recordings from nearby churches and homes. Creative Loafing Tampa also reported that police showed her case photographs and the scene while explaining their findings.
Chimurenga Waller, whom InPDUM selected to lead its inquiry, said the group planned to seek additional footage, speak with witnesses and request DNA testing. He said it was awaiting the autopsy report, Creative Loafing Tampa reported. The outlet also reported that the St. Petersburg NAACP said in a July social media post that police had taken appropriate investigative steps and cautioned against misinformation.
The medical examiner’s role
The District Six Medical Examiner says it is independent of law enforcement agencies and local governments and provides forensic services under contracts with Pinellas and Pasco Counties. It says determining cause and manner of death can involve laboratory tests or microscopic examination of tissues, according to the District Six Medical Examiner.
