Two Black Men Found Hanging in North Carolina Days Apart, Raising Questions

One Raleigh case is being investigated as a suicide, while a second death in Roanoke Rapids remains under investigation.

NORTH CAROLINA — Two Black men were found hanging in separate North Carolina communities less than a week apart, bringing renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding both deaths.

A 32-year-old man was found hanging from a tree in downtown Raleigh on August 15. Six days later, 38-year-old Demetrius Eugene Fleming was found connected to a ligature in Roanoke Rapids.

The circumstances surrounding the two deaths are not identical. Raleigh police say their investigation found no evidence of foul play, while the Roanoke Rapids case remains an active death investigation.

The Raleigh Case

On August 15, Raleigh police responded to a report of a person hanging from a tree at 318 S. McDowell St.

The man, who was 32 and Black, was pronounced dead at the scene after first responders attempted life-saving measures.

Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce later said investigators reviewed traffic and surveillance footage. According to police, the footage showed the man walking alone toward the tree while carrying an electrical cord, and no other person was seen in the area when the incident occurred.

What Investigators Found

Police said they found no evidence that another person caused or contributed to the man's death and said no criminal act had been identified.

However, the case has not simply disappeared from the investigative process. The Office of the Medical Examiner is responsible for the final determination of the cause and manner of death.

Police have also asked people with firsthand information to contact investigators rather than relying on unverified social media claims.

Six Days Later in Roanoke Rapids

On August 21, Roanoke Rapids police began investigating the death of 38-year-old Demetrius Eugene Fleming.

Police said Fleming was discovered in the 1900 block of Roanoke Avenue after someone close to him called 911 shortly after 6:45 a.m. The call was initially described as an attempted-suicide call.

Chief Lawrence Wiggins said officers found Fleming connected to a ligature but did not disclose what type of ligature was involved.

The Roanoke Rapids Investigation Is Still Open

Unlike the Raleigh case, authorities have not announced a final determination in Fleming's death.

An autopsy is underway, and police have said the investigation remains open while evidence is collected.

Chief Wiggins also acknowledged the broader community concern surrounding the death of a Black man by hanging and said investigators are pursuing available leads.

Why Race Is Part of the Conversation

The deaths are receiving heightened attention because both victims were Black and the method of death involved hanging.

That imagery carries particular historical weight in the United States, where racial terror lynchings were used against Black Americans, including in North Carolina.

That history does not by itself establish that either of these modern deaths was a lynching. At this point, the available evidence does not support Q Spot News labeling either case a lynching. What can be reported is that the circumstances have raised questions among community members and advocates, while investigators continue to determine what happened in the Roanoke Rapids case.

What We Know About the Two Cases

Raleigh — August 15

• 32-year-old Black man

• Found hanging from a tree

• Police reviewed surveillance footage

• Police reported no evidence of foul play

• Medical examiner has final determination

Roanoke Rapids — August 21

• 38-year-old Demetrius Eugene Fleming

• Found connected to a ligature

• Initial 911 call reported as an attempted suicide

• Autopsy underway

• Investigation remains open

The biggest difference is the status of the investigations: Raleigh police have publicly described evidence supporting suicide and no criminal act, while Roanoke Rapids authorities have not reached a final conclusion.

What Remains Unknown

Several questions remain unanswered in the Roanoke Rapids case, including the final cause and manner of death and what investigators will determine from the autopsy and other evidence.

Q Spot News has not found evidence establishing that Fleming's death was a homicide or a racially motivated killing.

Likewise, the Raleigh investigation should not be presented as a confirmed homicide when police have reported finding no evidence of foul play.

The Bottom Line

Two Black men were found hanging in North Carolina less than a week apart, but the investigations have produced different findings so far.

Raleigh police say their investigation found no evidence of foul play, while the death of Demetrius Fleming in Roanoke Rapids remains under investigation.

The racial history surrounding hanging deaths in America makes these cases especially sensitive. But until investigators establish more, the facts should remain separate from speculation.

Q Spot News will continue following the Roanoke Rapids investigation as more information becomes available.

Editor's Note

This article was updated using available law-enforcement and local reporting. Q Spot News has not independently established that either death was a lynching or racially motivated killing. The Roanoke Rapids investigation remains ongoing, and additional findings may change what is known about the case.