Medical examiner says NC hanging death was suicide, with no sign of foul play
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story describes suicide, which may be disturbing to some readers.
A young truck driver found hanging from a tree in Vance County died from suicide, a North Carolina medical examiner’s report says.
Landscapers found the body of Javion Magee, 21, on the morning of Sept. 11, 2024, according to a Sheriff’s Office report. The Vance County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to 285 Vance Mill Road in Henderson at 10:10 a.m., according to information provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Magee’s death investigation drew national news coverage after a social media post voiced suspicions that the Illinois man had been killed by lynching. But Vance Sheriff Curtis Brame consistently said evidence made clear that wasn’t the case.
Civil rights attorneys and Magee’s family met with investigators after Magee’s body was discovered and said calling his death a suicide was premature. They vowed to press for full answers as the case was investigated.
The medical examiner’s report notes no other signs of trauma were found. “Following investigation by law enforcement, there were no concerns for foul play,” the newly released report says.
“Based on the autopsy findings and circumstances surrounding the death, as currently understood, the cause of death is listed as hanging. The manner of death is classified as suicide,” it says.
A detective found Magee wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and black shorts sitting at the base of a tree with a blue rope wrapped around his neck, according to a Vance County search warrant released after Magee was found, The News & Observer reported.
The Sheriff’s Office also released videos showing Magee buying rope at Walmart the day before he was found dead. The videos show Magee walking up to a Walmart self checkout, paying with a credit card and leaving the store with a blue rope and a receipt. As he exits through the glass automatic doors, he tosses the wrapped rope back and forth in his hands.
Deputies found a wrapper for the blue rope he bought at Walmart next to his body
Magee was last known alive at 7:30 the night before he was found by surveillance footage in the area, the medical examiner’s report says.
If you or someone you are concerned about is at risk, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by texting or dialing 988. Or call 1-800-273-TALK. The National Alliance of Mental Illness North Carolina also offers virtual support groups and programming across the state.
