Alabama mayor dies of apparent suicide after website publishes pictures of him allegedly in women's clothes

Officials said Sunday that a small-town Alabama mayor died by apparent suicide just days after a conservative news site published photos of him allegedly wearing women's clothing and makeup, NBC News reports.

Smiths Station Mayor F.L. "Bubba" Copeland, a pastor at First Baptist Church of Phenix City, shot himself and died at 5:01 p.m. CT Friday, Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton said in a statement.

"Thank you all for your prayers, expressions of sympathy, and support," said First Baptist Church in a statement Saturday. "First and foremost, we ask that you keep Pastor Bubba Copeland's family in your prayers today, and in the days ahead."

Copeland died two days after the 1819 News published a story featuring photos of the mayor dressed as a woman and wearing makeup.

Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., said in a statement Saturday, "It is sad and disgusting how he was treated by" 1819 News. "We live in a mean, bitter world where the self righteous tend to throw the largest stones."

An 1819 News representative could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

Copeland was best known for leading his town through a tornado in eastern Alabama that killed 23 people in 2019.

"I am so saddened at the death of my friend Mayor Bubba Copeland," Jones said in a statement. "He was a good man and a great mayor who led the small town of Smith Station through the tough times of a devastating tornado a few years ago."

When then-President Donald Trump visited the affected communities, Jones said Copeland was instrumental in communicating the region's needs to the White House.

"I toured the destruction with him, helped him navigate the FEMA recovery efforts and made sure that he was able to plead his case directly to President Trump," Jones went on to say.

Smiths Station has a population of about 5,400 people and is located about 80 miles east of Montgomery, Alabama's capital, near the Georgia border.