According to ABC News, Byrd had been decapitated and dismembered. An autopsy revealed that his head, neck, shoulder, and arm had all been separated from his body during the ordeal (via Crime + Investigation UK). Per court documents (via FindLaw), Byrd was horrifically injured. The dragging resulted in "massive brush burn abrasions." Several of his ribs were broken, and his knees, feet, buttocks, and left cheek had been worn down. The latter was so severe that his jawbone was exposed. Some of his toes were missing or fractured. The muscles on his legs were exposed. Additionally, both of Byrd's testicles were missing and gravel was found in his scrotum. His brain, however, was unharmed.

Newsweek writes that Byrd was alive when he suffered these injuries. It's believed that he attempted to protect his head by keeping it up. He died only when his body hit a culvert in the road, which led to his right arm, neck, and head being torn off. He then died instantly.

Crime + Investigation UK explains that Berry was pulled over a day after Byrd's murder for an unrelated matter. That's when officers noticed that his tool set matched the wrench they had found at the crime scene. People writes that Berry eventually confessed to the crime. Crime + Investigation UK states that Berry, Brewer, and King's DNA was found on the cigarette butts, and Byrd's blood was found on their clothing and in the truck. Because King and Brewer were known white supremacists, Byrd's murder was labeled a hate crime.

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