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Contested death (2000 to present)

Feraris "Ray" Golden

Ruled suicideMay 28, 2003 · Age 32 · Belle Glade, FL

Who Feraris was

Feraris "Ray" Golden was 32 and lived in Belle Glade, Florida, a rural farming town of about 15,000 people in western Palm Beach County, surrounded by sugar cane fields and the Everglades.

He had children, and his grandmother's home in Belle Glade was near where he was found. His stepfather spoke to reporters on the family's behalf. A friend who had known him for 15 years described him as someone who didn't let things bother him.

In the words of those who knew them

  • “He wasn't the type to let things bother him,”A friend who had known him for 15 years (unnamed in the AP report) · source
  • “He wouldn't do that to himself, he wouldn't do that to his grandmother, he wouldn't do that to his kids,”A relative (unnamed in the CBS report) · source

What happened

On May 28, 2003, Feraris "Ray" Golden, 32, was found dead outside his grandmother's home in Belle Glade, Florida. Belle Glade police said their investigation and the autopsy pointed to suicide.

Relatives questioned the police account of how Ray was found, and rumors spread in the community over the following weeks. In late July the local NAACP president, Linda Johnson, said the group was not calling it a homicide or a suicide but believed questions needed answers. A friend told AP that Ray was not the kind of person to take his own life.

A public inquest was held, where police video of the scene was shown. On July 29, 2003, a judge ruled the death a suicide. The next day the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights said it would look into the case. No outcome of that inquiry, and no later family statement, has been found.

The case

Where found
Outside his grandmother's home
Official finding
Suicide (judge's ruling at a public inquest, July 29, 2003; police and autopsy had pointed to suicide)
Time to finding
About 2 months
Investigation
Belle Glade Police Chief Michael Miller said the investigation and autopsy pointed to suicide. A public inquest was held, and on July 29, 2003, a judge ruled the death a suicide.
Family position
Relatives said early on that they questioned the police account of how he was found. The family declined to comment before the inquest. No family statement after the ruling was found. A friend, James Federick, told AP: "He ain't the kind to do that to himself."
Public evidence
Autopsy and police video shown at the public inquest.
Federal review
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights said July 30, 2003 that it would look into the death. No outcome was found.
Last verified
2026-10-23
Verification note: Relatives' early account of the scene was contradicted by police video shown at the inquest (Lawrence Journal-World/AP). The local NAACP president, Linda Johnson, said: "We're not saying it's a homicide. We're not saying it's a suicide." The July 31 AP story misspells the city as 'Belle Grade'. Status is 'ruled' because no family statement rejecting the inquest ruling was found.

Sources

Record history

  1. Oct 23, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Life updated
    • Remembered updated
    • Life sources updated
  2. Oct 21, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Case added
    • Name: Feraris "Ray" Golden
    • Age: 32
    • Date found: 2003-05-28
    • City or county: Belle Glade
    • State: FL
    • Status: Ruled suicide
    • What happened updated
    • What happened sources updated
    • Where found: Outside his grandmother's home
    • Official finding: Suicide (judge's ruling at a public inquest, July 29, 2003; police and autopsy had pointed to suicide)
    • Time to finding: About 2 months
    • Investigation: Belle Glade Police Chief Michael Miller said the investigation and autopsy pointed to suicide. A public inquest was held, and on July 29, 2003, a judge ruled the death a suicide.
    • Family position: Relatives said early on that they questioned the police account of how he was found. The family declined to comment before the inquest. No family statement after the ruling was found. A friend, James Federick, told AP: "He ain't the kind to do that to himself."
    • Public evidence: Autopsy and police video shown at the public inquest.
    • Federal review: The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights said July 30, 2003 that it would look into the death. No outcome was found.
    • Verification note: Relatives' early account of the scene was contradicted by police video shown at the inquest (Lawrence Journal-World/AP). The local NAACP president, Linda Johnson, said: "We're not saying it's a homicide. We're not saying it's a suicide." The July 31 AP story misspells the city as 'Belle Grade'. Status is 'ruled' because no family statement rejecting the inquest ruling was found.
    • Sources updated