In the spring of 2015, the Mississippi legal community was shaken by the unexpected death of Rankin County Chancery Judge Daniel 'Dan' Hendrick Fairly. On the afternoon of Friday, April 3rd, 2015, the judge, a male, was found deceased near Mississippi Highway 43, in the vicinity of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The discovery prompted an investigation by the Madison County Sheriff's Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
An autopsy later confirmed that Judge Fairly's death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and authorities ruled it a suicide. There was no indication of foul play, and consequently, no arrests were made nor were any suspects identified in connection with his death. The news of his passing sent shockwaves through the community, where he was regarded as a dedicated and hardworking public servant.
Judge Fairly had served as a chancery judge for the 20th Chancery District of Mississippi since he was first elected in 2006, having been re-elected in 2010 and 2014. Prior to his death, he had been on a medical leave that extended from January 20 to March 31, 2015. He was survived by his wife of thirty-six years, Jennifer Jones Fairly, and their two children, Daniel Hendrick Fairly, Jr. and Christina Fairly Burrage.
