The sheriff of Vance County stated that there was “no lynching in Vance County” following a viral TikTok video from the alleged cousin of 21-year-old Javion Magee, which claimed that Magee was discovered hanging from a tree in the area.
On Friday, Sheriff Curtis R. Brame informed reporters that his department is investigating the circumstances surrounding Magee’s death, and he noted that there are no indications of foul play.
Before Magee was found in a parking lot on Vanco Mill Road near Henderson, investigators reported that he had bought rope from a Walmart while making a delivery, but his family is skeptical of the investigators‘ findings.
A representative for Magee’s family stated that he was a delivery truck driver and that his truck was parked in the lot where he was discovered. Police located his cell phone and ID inside the truck, which allowed them to identify him quickly.
Javion Magee found underneath tree with rope around his neck in Vance County, North Carolina
Investigators revealed that Magee was found seated at the base of a medium-sized tree with a rope around his neck, with the other end attached to the tree, according to Sheriff Brame. The family spokesperson mentioned that police indicated Magee died by suicide, but Sheriff Brame refuted that claim.
“At no point in time have we said this was a suicide,” he said.
The family suspects foul play and does not believe he took his own life. The spokesperson told reporters that they view it as “a hate crime,“ emphasizing that Magee showed no signs of suicidal thoughts and had no history of mental illness.
Social media rumors about lynching is false, Sheriff says
In response to social media speculation, Sheriff Brame stated that if he believed anyone, regardless of race, would commit lynching in Vance County, he would have made it a national news story. The family’s spokesperson also added that Magee’s body was found in an upright position, not “hanging or swinging” from the tree.
Sheriff Brame clarified that there was no noose or knot involved, adding that “what looks obvious may not be true…that’s why we called for an outside investigation,” which is why they requested an outside investigation.
Timeline shows Javion Magee’s movements
According to a timeline provided by authorities, Magee was seen on surveillance footage at Walmart purchasing the rope found with his body at 4:20 p.m. on September 10, although police have not released that video. Two hours later, he was seen entering and exiting the Hampton Inn on Ruin Creek Road in Henderson.
Cameras recorded him arriving at the hotel at 6:28 p.m. and leaving at 6:36 p.m. Additional footage showed him arriving in his truck and walking toward the tree where his body was discovered the following day around 10 a.m.
The cause of Magee’s death is still unknown as an autopsy is currently being conducted.
Cousin of Javion Magee takes his story viral
A TikTok user named @scottieprimpin shared a video Thursday evening revealing that her cousin, 21-year-old Javion McGee, a truck driver from Chicago, was discovered hanging from a tree in Henderson, North Carolina. According to local authorities, the incident happened in Vance County, not Henderson.
The Henderson Police Department announced on social media that the Vance County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the incident on Vanco Mill Rd Thursday, clarifying that it did not occur within the city’s jurisdiction.
In her the, the woman stated that Javion was found “hanging from a tree,“ mentioning that his job as a truck driver brought him to that area.
“The police officers are trying to say he went to a Walmart and purchased a rope and hung himself…we obviously don’t believe that and we are just asking for your help to push this story out there, “the woman said.
She expressed frustration with the investigators and the coroner’s office, claiming that Javion’s mother has been unable to identify his body because investigators allegedly told her at one point, it was not possible “due to covid.”
The woman mentioned that when Javion’s mother requested photos of her son, investigators initially agreed but later changed their minds, saying they didn’t think she would want to see him “like that.”
WATCH TIKTOK VIDEO BELOW:
@scottieprimpin Please help my family in getting Justice for my little cousin #JavionMagee #Henderson #HendersonNC #Chicago #NAACP @ABC News @ABC11 @WGN9Chicago #JUSTICEFORJAVION #SAYHISNAME ♬ original sound – StormiNyte 🌪🖤
Henderson NC is a great small city and not “backwoods” by any means.
The demographics of Henderson are 59% democratic and liberal. 64% black, 26% white, 6% mixed, and 4% other. Very unlikely a hate crime.
It still has a racist background.Racism is embedded in America’s culture which is why this young man was hanged! White cops don’t need a reason to kill Blacks, it’s in their bloodline from slavery to 2024.
You are a sad girl kaddie. U are a racist by making that dumb statement.
I think you should probably step aside. There’s no room for your ridiculous white privilege.
Yeah, because New York, Chicago and Minneapolis haven’t had any sort of racist hate crime in recent history. Liberal cities tooootally never have hate crimes. George Floyd who?
Yeah, right. You say this like there isn’t a long history of racism in the entirety of the state, let alone the city. Essentially, your ignorant self is saying it can’t be a hate crime because we have more Democrats. Just sit down. Do you have white guys? Of course, you do. Wake up. It’s the old white guys that lynched that young man.
Girl open your eyes, OMG. This is North Carolina. I just moved back here after a couple of decades of blissful elsewhere (family stuff) and I live in a very “liberal, progressive” area and I still see trash all the time. It’s the South.
As a truckdriver this breaks my heart. My favorite shop is in Henderson. Most amazing people in this town. Hope it’s just a simple suicide. I see the despair daily.everyone losing jobs. All our distribution centers are closing and income cut in half in last six months. Divorces and self harm are thru the roof.prayers this family gets answers
you’d never know all the distribution centers are closing given all these ugly warehouses they’re building over on my side of town. None of us wanted this crap in our midst, we live out here for the trees and quiet.
Apparently the man did not kill himself. I think the people are still jumping the gun here. You don’t know what happened. Hope they find out. May the man rest in peace
Yall know what I’m from Vicksburg Mississippi and there still place our kind can’t go
https://bencrump.com/areas-we-serve/washington-dc/civil-rights-lawyer/
Contact FBI, find a Civil Rights attorney to help your family retrieve his body before the coroner cremates him to hide any sign of possible homicide.Aint nary Black man going to purchase a rope to hang himself in the woods of a southern town.He was a city guy, and probably steered clear of the woods! He was LYNCHED BY FOOT SOLDIERS!!!
You are a sad girl kaddie. U are a racist by making that dumb statement.
I totally agree with Kaddie at some point we have to come together I understand and realize that things from back in the day still hasn’t changed there are hate crimes everywhere..
Such a shame that it takes for this to happen to start ANALYZING the LACK of proper procedures, in order to continue the SAME OLD COVER UPS. THE FAMILY has legal authority and can obtain their OWN AUTOPSY……with-OUT a lawyer, access to all CCTV video and tracing of his steps via PHONE ACTIVITY/CELLULAR TRACKING (i.e. T-Mobile Family Mode) and ALL citing info via a F.O.I.A. request, paints a picture………..
Mental illness is a serious issue today. Check in on your loved ones, make sure they’re OK, let them know they are not alone.
It is highly questionable that this young man took his own life, ie the point made by the family
The same appeals are often the case with suicides as well as drug overdoses. I’d have a hard time finding a family that wouldn’t have a difficult time accepting what has happened in those situations or look for something to blame outside of their loved one.
Nothing to do with mental illness and everything to do with the racist history that the Carolinas hold..
Vance County has a black Sheriff, Henderson has a black female mayor, and the majority of the population is non-white.
Vance County is Predominantly a black county. A great number of the people on the sheriffs department and police force are black, including my friend.
Suicide by hanging is an unpopular method, especially for African Americans because of the racial connotation it all has. Not to mention, why in the middle of the woods on the job, when he was in the field where he was provided with multiple, more favored and free means? Finally, if a suicide, why does the family have to jump through hoops to obtain the autopsy and gain access to the boxy upon request? Understand the sentiment but a little bit of critical thinking on the issue, and the fact that these “black person commits suicide by hanging in the woods of a well-known hostile small town with or without the body in compromising states” have been spiking in numbers recently since 2020.
Black people historically in the USA have been LYNCHED BY ANGRY WHITE MOBS OF WHITE MEN. UNCHARACTERISTICALLY, BLACK MEN DONT GO TO THE BACKWOODS OF A SOUTHERN TOWN TO “MURDER THEMSELVES! Javion is from the city of Illinois, do you really think he would get out of his truck, go to redneck Walmarts, purchase a rope and drive to the backwoods of a place he had never been to, climb a tree and hang himself?!! Not having critical skills of reasoning and logic regarding this case would lead you to assume the police’s version of death by hanging to be factual but even a comodium of common sense should conclude this is straight up b.s.!PERIODT
If you have a stereotypical theory of NC like that whether you live here or not, then you ain’t from the country aka small towns. Because we (black and whites) have the same interest, use the same stores, and have no issues with each other. There can be several things or ways this could have happened. This whole rednecks at Walmart rhetoric is racist talk. There is just as many black rednecks as white and most don’t think about harming others. FOH with your BS you spew.
https://bencrump.com/areas-we-serve/washington-dc/civil-rights-lawyer/
PRAYING GOD Justice For them GOD see everything 🙏❤️ PRAYING for GOD To ease the MOM pain
NC SBI will more likely get involved now since it spreading on social media. Why haven’t they contact the news?
They have, they aren’t allowing his family to identify the body due to “covid restrictions”.
The owner of the lot said that he saw him and he wasnt alone…they are covering something up
They covering something up , im a trucker also I’ve delivered loads in that town , certain ppl ain’t to friendly up there . I hope and pray they find out what happened.
I believe it .. last year I ran into a roadblock out there … the officer asked for my license … cool told me to roll down my back window my 4 year old daughter was back there he said hey what’s your name she ain’t respond ( non verbal , she autistic ) so he proceeds to hell at her ” don’t you hear me talking to you ” I immediately say she non verbal she don’t speak… i cried the whole way home it hurts my feeling so bad how we tried by the police
Hugs to you…I’m so sorry that happened to you. You and your daughter are precious in God’s eyes, and He loves both of you no matter how horrible people treat you.
This is horrible. I am so sorry you and your sweet baby girl had to go through that. It’s absolutely appalling and uncalled for in any situation to approach a child that way, or yourself. I have a nonverbal niece and to think this is happening is heartbreaking. Keeping you and all your loved ones in prayer and love.
That was totally uncalled for and that officer should have had a complaint filed against him ASAP..We as people have to start doing something about the way these aggressive white cops talk to us when pulled over..im not afraid to die and damn sure ain’t scared of prison so with that being said Mr officer if your reading this play with me like that..