Tuhia he haere tonu mō tēnei wāhanga - I te 20 o Hānuere 2009, i pāngia e te Kaunihera Ted Kennedy tētahi pāngia i te wā o te kai a Barack Obama i te rā whakatūnga
i kawea atu ki tētahi waka hohipera. Byrd, e noho ana i te tepu ano, ka riro i te pōuri, a ka ia ia i nekehia ki tona tari. I pūrongotia e te tari o Byrd he pai ia. I te Mei 18, i uru a Byrd ki te hohipera i muri i tana wheako i te werawera na te "mate iti", i roa i te mate staphylococcus aureus. I tukuna a Byrd i te Pipiri 30, 2009.