The Noose is a Warning

Lynchings in 2026?

A few days ago I read about a young Black woman, Tasia Fortune, found hanging from a tree in Mississippi. Rope around her neck, reminiscent of Jim Crow era lynchings.

After a little research, I found that this is a repeating occurrence. While racially-motivated murders aren’t new, the symbolism of the noose made this feel different.

Dangerous ideology and an expectation of immunity lead to deadly consequences. The noose is a warning. An attempt to broadcast who’s “in charge”.

Institutions seem to be actively ignoring, quick to classify these incidents as suicide, and evidence is lost to bureaucracy.

There is no data to show if this is a rising trend. I shouldn’t be surprised to find dirt when turning over stones. And my thinking is speculative.

But I can’t help wonder if those who once kept their hate to themselves now feel emboldened.

In an unscientific attempt to see how common this is, I did some digging and uncovered a disturbing number of similar suspicious deaths over the past couple years.

Here’s what I found:

Tasia Fortune

August 3, 2026 | Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi

Local residents in a residential neighborhood discovered the body of 29-year-old Tasia Fortune behind a vacant home in the 500 block of Road of Remembrance, suspended from a tree. The Hinds County Coroner’s Office officially confirmed her identity on August 6, 2026. Her body was transferred to the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy to determine cause and manner of death; official investigative results remain pending. Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes formally requested assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office to oversee the investigation. Fortune’s family launched an appeal for burial expenses and publicly called for a thorough and transparent investigation.

Source: Associated Press Report on Tasia Fortune | Mississippi Free Press Coverage | Capital B News Reporting

Nolan Xavier Wells

July 4–6, 2026 | Horn Island, Jackson County, Mississippi

Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old Black student-athlete at Southwest Mississippi Community College, traveled by boat on July 4, 2026, to Horn Island, an uninhabited island off the Mississippi coast, with three white high school acquaintances for a large gathering of approximately 200 people. Wells did not return with his companions, who returned to the mainland with his cell phone and car keys, claiming he chose to stay behind. He was reported missing shortly after midnight on July 5, and his body was recovered floating in the water near the island on July 6.

An independent autopsy performed by forensic pathologist Dr. Robert Mitchell noted no internal bone fractures or deep tissue bruising, but identified an inconclusive red discoloration at the base of the skull. Secondary analysis was constrained because internal organs and neck structures had been removed during the state’s primary autopsy. State forensic determinations remain pending, while the independent autopsy declared the cause and manner of death as “undetermined,” noting non-accidental factors could not be ruled out. Represented by attorney Ben Crump and supported by civil rights advocates, the family questioned why companions left an 18-year-old on an uninhabited island while taking his phone and vehicle keys. Public figures established a $125,000 reward for information regarding the events on the island.

Source: The Guardian Interactive Investigation on Nolan Wells | Mississippi Free Press Missing Person and Recovery Report | Capital B News Coverage

Tonea Miller

June 18, 2026 | Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Tonea Miller, a 27-year-old Black woman, was discovered dead early in the morning in Gwen Cherry Park in Miami. Members of the public and civil rights representatives stated she was found hanging from a tree in the park. On June 24, 2026, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and the county medical examiner released a statement concluding that the circumstances of her death were “consistent with a suicide” and that no evidence of foul play was identified. At a news conference on June 26, 2026, Miller’s family publicly rejected the official conclusion. The Miami-Dade branch of the NAACP highlighted that she had been found hanging from a tree and called for further investigation and forensic verification.

Source: Snopes Investigative Report on Tonea Miller

Kyle Bassinga

February 2026 | Cobb County, Georgia

Kyle Bassinga, a 21-year-old Black man, was discovered dead in Fair Oaks Park in Cobb County, Georgia, hanging from a tree within the public park. Law enforcement and county officials classified the death as a suicide. Local residents and advocacy groups expressed concern over the public park setting and requested independent oversight of the investigation.

Source: Cobb County Police Department Releases & Regional Media Coverage

Demartravion “Trey” Reed

September 15, 2025 | Cleveland, Bolivar County, Mississippi

Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a 21-year-old Black student at Delta State University, was discovered dead on campus during the morning hours, hanging from a tree in the center of the university campus. Preliminary physical examinations reported no broken bones or overt marks of physical assault. The Bolivar County Coroner’s Office and the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office classified the death as a suicide. Law enforcement later cited text messages sent from Reed’s phone to his girlfriend prior to his death that contained threats of self-harm.

Reed’s family reported that university or local officials initially informed them he had been found dead in his dorm room bed, only to learn through media reports that he had been found hanging outdoors. The family retained legal counsel to request an independent autopsy and prompted U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson to request a federal review by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI.

Source: Delta State University Police Department Briefings & Bolivar County Coroner Records

Dimond Canyon Trail Incident

June 30, 2025 | Oakland, Alameda County, California

Oakland Police responded to reports from park visitors regarding an adult Black man found hanging from a tree near a hiking trail in Dimond Canyon. Preliminary police investigations categorized the incident as self-harm/suicide. Area residents raised concerns regarding the location and requested full investigative transparency before final case closure.

Source: Oakland Police Department Blotter & Community Media Briefings

Earl Smith

June 2025 | New York, New York

Earl Smith, a Black man, was discovered dead during daytime hours hanging from a tree in a public outdoor space in New York. Local authorities ruled the death a suicide. Community members and local advocates publicly questioned the ruling, pointing to the public nature and location of the incident as grounds for a deeper homicide investigation.

Source: New York City Police Department Documentation & Local Advocate Releases

Mario Kaiser Jr.

April 2025 | North Carolina

Mario Kaiser Jr., a 30-year-old Black man, was found dead outdoors in North Carolina with a noose or ligature around his neck. The death was officially classified as a suicide. Family members and community advocates criticized the investigation, alleging that forensic testing was closed prematurely without fully exploring external involvement.

Source: North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Files & Family Statements

Javion Magee

September 11, 2024 | Henderson, Vance County, North Carolina

Javion Magee, a 21-year-old Black commercial truck driver from Bellwood, Illinois, was found dead in a wooded area near a local road in Vance County, North Carolina. Surveillance and timeline records indicate he had unloaded his delivery truck at a local distribution center on September 10, purchased a utility rope at a nearby Walmart, and was recorded handing money to an unhoused individual outside the store. His body was discovered in a seated position resting against the base of a tree with a blue utility rope wrapped eleven times around his neck. Toxicology screens detected only THC, with no defensive wounds or blunt force trauma reported.

In June 2025, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Chief Medical Examiner formally ruled the death a suicide by hanging. Local law enforcement stated there were no initial signs of foul play and noted the rope did not contain a traditional noose knot. However, Magee’s family and legal representatives, including civil rights attorneys Ben Crump, Lee Merritt, and Harry Daniels, disputed the suicide classification. They noted that purchasing ropes is standard protocol for securing truck cargo, emphasized that Magee had no history of mental health struggles, and raised concerns regarding the speed of initial police conclusions.

Source: Vance County Sheriff’s Office Statements & NC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Rulings

Yolna Lubrin

September 2023 | Orlando, Orange County, Florida

Yolna Lubrin, a 30-year-old Black woman, was found dead in the yard of her residence, partially nude and hanging from a tree in her backyard. Local police and medical examiners categorized the death as a suicide. Family members publicly criticized the initial scene processing, asserting that her physical state and the scene conditions warranted a comprehensive homicide investigation rather than an immediate suicide ruling.

Source: Orange County Sheriff’s Office Records & Orlando Police Department Media Coverage Briefings

Rasheem Carter

November 2022 | Taylorsville, Smith County, Mississippi

Rasheem Carter, a 25-year-old Black man, went missing in October 2022 after contacting his family and local police to report that he was being pursued by a group of men in pickup trucks. His remains were discovered scattered in a wooded area in November 2022. Independent forensic examinations commissioned by the family revealed severe skeletal fractures, spinal trauma, and missing anatomical parts.

Local authorities initially stated no foul play was suspected, suggesting animal scavenging accounted for the scattered remains. The official cause and manner of death were later categorized as undetermined as state and federal authorities opened active reviews. Attorney Ben Crump and Carter’s family asserted that the physical trauma patterns were consistent with a violent homicide and staged disposal, criticizing early law enforcement dismissals of Carter’s distress calls prior to his disappearance.

Source: Smith County Sheriff’s Office Files & Independent Forensic Pathology Reports

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