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A Hispanic man found dead in a man's back yard Dec. 30 committed suicide, Muscogee County Coroner James Dunnavant has ruled. Bersain Hernandez, 24, was found in a man's back yard on Garden Drive about 6 a.m. wearing only blue jeans. Dunnavant said Hernandez' death has been ruled a suicide after an autopsy showed his windpipe was torn. Dunnavant said it appeared Hernandez tied rope to a tree and the other end around his neck, but the knot came undone and he fell, hitting his head on concrete. It was being investigated as a homicide because it appeared at first that his throat was cut, Dunnavant said. "We can't find anyone that did anything to him," he said. Dunnavant said witnesses told police Hernandez was knocking on neighbors' doors saying someone was chasing him, but neighbors said they didn't see anyone chasing Hernandez. He said it is unclear whether a head injury from hitting the ground or a torn windpipe caused his death. [more]