The family of a Black man found deceased with a rope around his neck under a tree in North Carolina is seeking clarity from authorities, who have indicated no signs of foul play. The Vance County Sheriff’s Office mentioned that a medical examination by the North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner’s Office revealed no defensive wounds or indicators of physical or sexual assault. Complete autopsy findings, including cause of death and toxicology reports, are still awaited.
Javion Magee, 21, was discovered dead beneath a tree with a rope around his neck on September 11 in Henderson, located 40 miles northeast of Raleigh, as reported by the sheriff’s office. A 911 call alerted authorities to the body. Family lawyers demanding answers met with the sheriff and command staff to discuss the status of the investigation.
In a statement, lawyer Harry Daniels remarked, “This is an absolute tragedy regardless of the circumstances. The details are still unfolding, but what is known is that he was found hanging from a tree.” He underlined that the cause of death had not been established and premature conclusions about suicide should be avoided.
Surveillance footage indicated that Magee, a commercial truck driver from Illinois, had traveled to North Carolina after delivering goods to a local Walmart Distribution Center. He was last seen purchasing rope from a Walmart store before parking his truck in a nearby dirt lot. Video evidence showed him heading alone towards a line of trees carrying an object just before 7 p.m. Later footage at around 7:30 p.m. captured him walking back in the direction of the trees, but he did not return. His body was reported the following morning.
Investigators found Magee seated with a rope tightly fastened around his neck, tied to a tree branch. The rope’s packaging, matching a product sold at Walmart, was used to confirm that Magee had bought it the previous day. His unlocked truck contained his wallet, cellphone, and a Walmart receipt corresponding to the rope purchase.
The deceased’s mother, Tiara Roberson, expressed concerns over the information provided by investigators. She mentioned being informed by an investigator that evidence, including footage of Magee buying the rope, appeared to point towards suicide. Following the tragic news, Javion’s father, Kori Magee, contacted the property owner where the incident occurred, discovering that one of the workers discovered Javion’s body and reported it, but he was unable to identify the person accompanying Javion on the property.