Local authorities say foul play is not suspected in the death of a Black man who was found hanging in a tree near the Victorville City Library more than a week before a second, similar case near City Hall in Palmdale.
 
Malcolm Harsch, 38, was found near a homeless encampment near Zenda and Seventh streets after deputies responded around 7 a.m. May 31 to a report of a man who had hung himself, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Jodi Miller said.
 
Zenda Street runs east-west through a residential neighborhood in a section of Victorville just south of Old Town.
 
Miller said a death investigation was ongoing, and that the cause and manner of death were pending. Miller said Harsch’s body was found about a mile away from the library, which is accessible from Zenda Street.
 
But Harsch’s family is asking for more answers amid heightened tension and scrutiny of police departments after the killing of George Floyd, as well as the death of another Black man in Palmdale earlier this week.
 
Robert Fuller’s body was also found hanging from a tree early Wednesday morning near City Hall. A passerby reported seeing Fuller’s body around 3 a.m. Wednesday. Emergency personnel responded and found that he appeared to have died by suicide, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officials said.
 
Palmdale is about 60 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Victorville is about 50 miles east of Palmdale.
 
Fuller’s death has generated intense scrutiny, especially after nationwide protests rebuking the police killing of Floyd.
 
On Saturday, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Palmdale, a city of 150,000, marching from the park where Fuller’s body was found to the sheriff’s station. Many carried signs that said “Justice for Robert Fuller.”
 
More than 100,000 people signed an online petition demanding a full investigation into Fuller’s death. Community members confronted city officials at a contentious news briefing Friday, asking why they were quick to label his death a suicide and demanding an independent autopsy.
 
“I have doubts about what happened,” Marisela Barajas, who went to the press conference and joined a crowd gathered at the tree where Fuller’s body was found, told the Los Angeles Times.
“All alone, in front of the City Hall – it’s more like a statement,” she said. “Even if it was a suicide, that in itself is kind of a statement.”
 
Lt. Kelly Yagerlener of the L.A. County medical examiner-coroner’s office said a decision on the cause of death is deferred pending an investigation. A full autopsy is planned.
 
Palmdale residents demanded surveillance video around the time and place where Fuller’s body was found. The city said there were no outdoor cameras, and video recorders on a nearby traffic signal could not have captured what happened.
 
L.A. Sheriff’s Capt. Ron Shaffer said homicide detectives were investigating the circumstances leading to Fuller’s death to determine if foul play was involved. He urged members of the public to contact detectives if they have relevant information, particularly about where Fuller had been and who he had been with in recent weeks.
 
Palmdale officials wrote in a statement that investigators have been in contact with Fuller’s family.
 
KPCC-FM reported that at Saturday’s march, Fuller’s sister, Diamond Alexander, insisted her brother was not suicidal.
 
“Robert was a good little brother to us and it’s like everything they have been telling us has not been right … and we just want to know the truth,” she said.
 
Harsch’s family members, like Fuller’s, said they have difficulty believing he killed himself. They said he had recently spoken with his children “and other family members about seeing them soon.”
 
“He didn’t seem to be depressed to anyone who truly knew him. Everyone who knew our brother was shocked to hear that he allegedly hung himself and don’t believe it to be true as well as the people who were there when his body was discovered,” the family said in a statement. “The explanation of suicide does not seem plausible.”
 
Harmonie Harsch, Malcolm Harsch’s younger sister, said in a Facebook message the family only became aware of his death after they were contacted by a friend the day he was found. She said the family, which resides in Ohio, had to reach out to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department the next day for confirmation.
 
Miller said a coroner’s investigator had “attempted to locate a family member” on the day of Malcolm Harsch’s death but was “unable to reach anyone.”
The case does not appear in the San Bernardino County’s list of coroner press releases, even though more recent cases have been posted.
 
On the same day Harsch was found, a Victorville rally drew dozens of people protesting George Floyd’s death and other controversial killings at the hands of police.
 
When asked why the Sheriff’s Department didn’t notify the public of Malcolm Harsch’s death considering the ongoing protests, Miller said press releases are not typically issued for suspected suicides.
 
“Amidst the current racial tension and following the protesting the night prior to his body being discovered we were truly troubled to learn of his passing, particularly of how his body was discovered,” Harsch’s family wrote. “He was an African American male, whose body was found hanging in a tree in Victorville California!”
 
The family said a deputy who called to confirm Harsch’s death asked about drug or alcohol use, “made a statement about how the coronavirus has ‘hit people really hard’ and said a USB cord was used to hang him.”
 
Harsch’s family said they also spoke to people who were there when he was discovered.
 
“There are many ways to die but considering the current racial tension, a black man hanging himself from a tree definitely doesn’t sit well with us right now,” Harsch’s family said. “We want justice not comfortable excuses.”
 
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Martin Estacio may be reached at MEstacio@VVDailyPress.com or at 760-955-5358. Follow him on Twitter @DP_mestacio.
 
Shane Newell covers breaking news and the western Coachella Valley cities of Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs. He can be reached at shane.newell@desertsun.com or on Twitter @journoshane.

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