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Contested death (2000 to present)

Malcolm Harsch

OpenMay 31, 2020 · Age 38 · Victorville, CA

Who Malcolm was

Malcolm Harsch was 38 and a father of eight. He worked as a tattoo artist, and most of his family lived in Ohio.

His sister, Harmonie Harsch, calls him loving, caring, respectable and talented. In a statement, his family said he had recently talked with his children about seeing them soon.

Portrait of Malcolm Harsch
Family of Malcolm Harsch · where it was shared

In the words of those who knew them

  • “My brother was loving, he was caring, respectable, talented.”Harmonie Harsch, his sister, to ABC7 · source
  • “Malcolm had very recent conversations with his children about seeing them soon.”The Harsch family, in a statement · source

What happened

Malcolm Harsch, 38, was found on the morning of May 31, 2020, at a tree in a homeless encampment on a vacant dirt lot near the Victorville City Library in California. A woman who said she was his girlfriend called 911 at 7:07 a.m. People at the encampment tried to revive him, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said, but he was pronounced dead.

The sheriff's department said early on that it found no evidence of foul play. The family questioned that, and the 12-day wait for an autopsy, which was performed June 12. Relatives told NBC that "the explanation of suicide does not seem plausible," and activist Najee Ali called the death a possible lynching. Sheriff John McMahon said he was working with the California Department of Justice. In mid-June, the FBI said it, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division were reviewing the investigations into Malcolm's death and Robert Fuller's in Palmdale.

Detectives obtained surveillance video from a vacant building nearby and showed it to the family at their request. On June 19 the department said the video showed no foul play. His sister, Harmonie Harsch, said in a family statement that after reviewing the site and video with detectives they now knew the cause and manner of death, and family spokesman Najee Ali told CNN it seemed he'd taken his own life. The pathologist was awaiting toxicology before ruling; no final ruling has been reported.

The case

Where found
Tree at a homeless encampment near the Victorville City Library
Official finding
Apparent suicide (San Bernardino County Sheriff). An autopsy was performed June 12, 2020; no final manner-of-death ruling after toxicology has been made public.
Time to finding
No manner of death announced in sources read. Autopsy performed June 12, 2020.
Investigation
Victorville Police detectives (San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department) interviewed people nearby. Detectives obtained surveillance video from a vacant building near the scene, which officials said showed no foul play (CNN). NBC reported the California Department of Justice was involved.
Family position
At first the family pressed hard for answers and questioned the 12-day wait for an autopsy. After detectives showed them the scene and surveillance video, the family said the death appeared to be a suicide, thanked supporters and asked for privacy.
Public evidence
Surveillance video from a nearby vacant building, which the sheriff says shows no foul play, was shown to the family at their request.
Federal review
The FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles and the DOJ Civil Rights Division said they would review the investigation; the sheriff cooperated with the California DOJ.
Last verified
2026-11-14
Verification note: The Amsterdam News wrote that the sheriff ruled the death a homicide; that contradicts the sheriff's own alert, CNN and NBC, so it wasn't used. NBC described a preliminary determination of suicide. A Rolling Stone headline says the deaths were ruled suicides, but its text says no official cause had been set for Harsch. No final coroner ruling located.

Sources

Record history

  1. Nov 14, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Official finding: Apparent suicide (San Bernardino County Sheriff). An autopsy was performed June 12, 2020; no final manner-of-death ruling after toxicology has been made public.
  2. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • What happened updated
    • What happened sources updated
  3. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Official finding: Apparent suicide (San Bernardino County Sheriff). Autopsy performed June 12, 2020; a final manner-of-death ruling after toxicology was not located.
    • Family position: At first the family pressed hard for answers and questioned the 12-day wait for an autopsy. After detectives showed them the scene and surveillance video, the family said the death appeared to be a suicide, thanked supporters and asked for privacy.
    • Public evidence: Surveillance video from a nearby vacant building, which the sheriff says shows no foul play, was shown to the family at their request.
    • Federal review: The FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles and the DOJ Civil Rights Division said they would review the investigation; the sheriff cooperated with the California DOJ.
  4. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Life updated
    • Remembered updated
    • Life sources updated
  5. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Portrait added (Family of Malcolm Harsch)
  6. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Case added
    • Name: Malcolm Harsch
    • Age: 38
    • Date found: 2020-05-31
    • City or county: Victorville
    • State: CA
    • Where found: Tree at a homeless encampment near the Victorville City Library
    • Official finding: Pending in sources read. San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said it found no evidence of foul play; as of its June 15, 2020 alert, cause and manner of death awaited toxicology.
    • Time to finding: No manner of death announced in sources read. Autopsy performed June 12, 2020.
    • Investigation: Victorville Police detectives (San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department) interviewed people nearby. Detectives obtained surveillance video from a vacant building near the scene, which officials said showed no foul play (CNN). NBC reported the California Department of Justice was involved.
    • Family position: Early on, the family said a suicide explanation didn't seem plausible (NBC). After police showed relatives the evidence, including the video, a family spokesman said it seemed he did take his own life (CNN).
    • Public evidence: Surveillance video from a nearby vacant building, shown to family members at their request (CNN).
    • Federal review: FBI and U.S. Department of Justice reviewed the death along with Robert Fuller's (CNN, Rolling Stone).
    • Verification note: The Amsterdam News wrote that the sheriff ruled the death a homicide; that contradicts the sheriff's own alert, CNN and NBC, so it wasn't used. NBC described a preliminary determination of suicide. A Rolling Stone headline says the deaths were ruled suicides, but its text says no official cause had been set for Harsch. No final coroner ruling located.
    • Sources updated
Malcolm Harsch, Victorville, CA · Found Hanging: Case Tracker