Death of North Carolina Man in Police Custody Ruled Homicide

Fletcher -- A man from North Carolina died while in police custody, and the autopsy report ruled that homicide

was the cause of death.

The Fletcher Police Department reports that on June 15, 2022, at at 8:30 p.m., officers were called to an apartment on Seasons Circle.

According to police, a woman contacted 911 and stated a man wouldn't let her go and that he might be under the influence of drugs.

Officers claim that when they arrived, they ran with 35-year-old Christopher Robert Hensley, who then allegedly started fighting with them.

According to the officers, the altercation compelled them to request support from the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.

Hensley allegedly became unresponsive after being handcuffed and after being transferred to a hospital, Hensley passed away.

The autopsy report Friday:

"The cause of death is sudden cardiac death in the setting of cocaine and methamphetamine toxicity, dilated cardiomyopathy and physical restraint. Major findings at autopsy consisted of a moderately enlarged and dilated heart with mild narrowing of one of the major arteries supplying the heart with blood. Multiple scrapes, bruises and skin tears were present without significant underlying soft tissue injuries. Petechiae were present within the eyes, around the face and in multiple other areas of the body. Changes consistent with attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation were also present. Toxicologic testing of postmortem femoral blood samples detected potentially lethal levels of cocaine (and its metabolite) and methamphetamine (and its metabolite). Naloxone was detected in screening tests."

"According to the Henderson County Medical Examiner, the decedent was engaged in a domestic dispute with his significant other when law enforcement intervened. He had a history of cocaine use and was acting agitated when law enforcement arrived. A physical altercation occurred with law enforcement during which an electric control device and physical restraint were utilized. During restraint, he became unresponsive and resuscitation was attempted by law enforcement and emergency medical providers, but efforts were futile.

"The opportunity to review body camera footage from the incident was requested; however, the footage could not be reviewed prior to case sign out. Publicly available footage of the incident was reviewed prior to case sign out.

"Because physical restraint contributed to death, the manner of death is best classified as homicide."

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is now in charge of case.

WNCTIMES by Marjorie Farrington