Black Man Found Dead Tied to Tree in Henderson; Family Demands Transparency

HENDERSON, NC – The investigation into the death of a Chicago man in a rural area of Henderson continues as questions and speculation, particularly on social media, intensify.

Javion Magee, a 21-year-old truck driver from the Chicago area, was found dead on Wednesday, September 11, in a rural area near Vanco Mill Road. Authorities reported that Magee was discovered near his truck, sitting with his back against a tree and a rope around his neck. Magee had been in Henderson delivering to the Walmart distribution center.

Magee’s family, who lives in Chicago, is demanding answers and greater transparency from the Vance County Sheriff’s Office regarding the circumstances of his death.

On Friday, Vance County Sheriff Curtis R. Brame confirmed that his office is conducting a death investigation. A search warrant revealed that Magee was seen on surveillance video purchasing a rope at the Walmart on Cooper Drive in Henderson—believed to be the same rope found with his body.

According to the warrant, Magee was recorded using the self-checkout at Walmart, wearing the same clothes he was later found in. Twelve minutes later, he entered the Hampton Inn on Ruin Creek Road but left shortly after when an associate informed him that no rooms were available that night.

Magee then drove to Vanco Mill Road, where surveillance footage captured his truck pulling in and Magee walking away. 

Around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, a 911 call led deputies to the discovery of Magee’s body.

“There is not a lynching in Vance County”

Sheriff Curtis R. Brame addressed rumors circulating online, especially on TikTok, where over 1,000 posts accuse the sheriff’s office of withholding information from the family and lacking transparency. “That is not true,” Brame stated. “There’s been information put out there that there’s a lynching in Vance County. There is not a lynching. The young man was not dangling from a tree or swinging from a tree. The rope was wrapped around his neck, but it was not a noose, and there was no knot in the rope, so it was not a lynching.”

Despite the sheriff’s clarification, Magee’s family in Chicago remains skeptical. Family spokesperson Dr. Candice Matthews voiced their concerns: “A lot of this doesn’t pass the smell test, and that’s a problem. The entire family is mortified and hurt. They have many questions and just want to know what happened to their loved one.”

Magee’s body has been sent to the medical examiner for a complete autopsy to determine the official cause of death.

Preliminary Autopsy Results

Late Friday, Sheriff Curtis R. Brame provided an update on the preliminary autopsy results for Javion Magee. He confirmed that the findings have been shared with Magee’s family. The preliminary results did not offer a clear cause of death, with no visible signs of defensive wounds or scars on his arms, legs, or other limbs. However, the autopsy revealed signs of hemorrhaging in the soft tissue of Magee’s neck.

Brame noted that his office is still waiting for the toxicology report’s results, which may take additional time.

On Saturday, Matthews released a statement revealing the family had spoken with the medical examiner about the preliminary autopsy results. “Based on the information provided, the family still suspects foul play due to there being nothing under his fingernails or on his hands… He did have a broken neck with blood around the neck, which came from the hanging. They also feel that this entire investigation is in no way transparent.”

Civil rights activists and community members also call for greater transparency and for any relevant footage to be shared with the family. “Transparency, that’s what must be demanded in this case,” said the Rev. William Barber II, a prominent activist. “We need to find out what happened, and there must be truth and transparency—nothing less. When you find African-Americans with a rope around their neck at the base of a tree in the South, with its history of racial violence, you cannot simply dismiss that.”

“We’re exploring every avenue and all the information available to us. We’re tracking his company’s GPS data to help piece together his movements,” Brame said.

Brame has involved the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) to further the investigation and requested assistance from the Attorney General’s Office.