Authorities are investigating the death of 38-year-old Demetrius Fleming, who was found hanging from a ligature at a Roanoke Avenue home in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Police Chief Lawrence Wiggins described the case as an open and equivocal death investigation while urging the public to avoid speculation.
Police Investigate Open and Equivocal Death in Roanoke Rapids
The Roanoke Rapids Police Department responded to a 911 call regarding an attempted suicide at a home on Roanoke Avenue. Upon arrival, emergency crews found 38-year-old Demetrius Eugene Fleming dead from a hanging, according to local reporting from WRAL and national coverage. Police Chief Lawrence Wiggins stated that Fleming had already passed away before emergency personnel reached the scene.
Investigators have not yet disclosed the specific type of ligature used in the incident. An autopsy is currently underway to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Authorities confirmed that the initial 911 call originated from someone close to Fleming who was not physically present at the residence.
Chief Wiggins Cautions Against Early Speculation
Law enforcement officials have emphasized a deliberate approach to the case, choosing to withhold certain personal details until more evidence is gathered.
We are not working from any strict assumption, Everything is on the table. Chief Lawrence Wiggins, Roanoke Rapids Police Department
We’re treating this as an open, equivocal death investigation. Chief Lawrence Wiggins, Roanoke Rapids Police Department
The police chief stressed that the inquiry remains in its earliest stages. He noted that concrete evidence gathered by investigators will ultimately shape the final conclusion rather than early public conjecture.
This investigation is in its infancy, and it is important to neither make nor perpetuate assumptions as facts. The evidence will provide the conclusion; anything else will create more confusion. Chief Lawrence Wiggins, Roanoke Rapids Police Department
Community Context and Family Background
The incident has drawn intense local attention in a community where a Black man found hanging carries heavy historical resonance. The public scrutiny mirrors conversations surrounding separate recent incidents, such as a hanging death in downtown Raleigh that police investigated as a suicide.
Beyond the ongoing police investigation, family memories and obituaries highlight a life centered on faith, music, and family. Born in Roanoke Rapids in 1988, Fleming graduated from Weldon High School in 2006 and attended Chowan University, where he built a reputation for his musicianship. Music remained a vital part of his life, particularly through his local church.
Fleming was the father of nine children, whom relatives say he spoke of constantly with immense pride. He is survived by his wife, Doresha Ayers-Fleming, his parents Kim and Richard Fleming, and seven siblings. Memorial services have been arranged through H D Pope Funeral Homes, with the family requesting that donations be directed to the American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers.
