Contested death (2000 to present)

Taemon Blair

Ruled suicide, disputedMar 14, 2019 · Age 21 · Fort Wayne, IN

What happened

Taemon Blair, 21, was a truck driver from the Charlotte, North Carolina, area. On March 14, 2019, an employee at a business on Bluffton Road in Fort Wayne, Indiana, found him dead in the tractor-trailer he drove for work. According to a coroner's statement reported by Snopes, GPS records showed the truck had arrived there the evening before.

The Allen County Coroner's Office ruled his death a suicide. His family disagreed. His older brother, Dee Smith, started a fundraiser for funeral costs and told FOX 46 the family wanted justice and more answers. His mother, Taesha Hunt, also told FOX 46 she had doubts. The case spread widely on social media, where the rapper T.I. shared it.

On March 28, 2019, the coroner's office released a statement saying there were no signs of a struggle and no documentation for several claims circulating online. Newsweek reported that police had closed the case. No reopening has been reported, and the suicide ruling stands.

The case

Where found: His parked tractor-trailer at a business
Official finding: Suicide (Allen County Coroner's Office, statement dated March 28, 2019)
Time to finding: 14 days
Investigation: Fort Wayne Police Department and the Allen County Coroner's Office. According to Snopes, the coroner's March 28, 2019 statement said there were no signs of a struggle and no documentation supporting several claims that circulated on social media.
Family position: The family doesn't accept the ruling and asked police to keep investigating. His older brother, Dee Smith, told FOX 46: "We just want him to get justice. That's all we want" (as quoted by Essence and Atlanta Black Star). His mother, Taesha Hunt, also told FOX 46 she had doubts.
Public evidence: Coroner's statement as reported by Snopes: GPS data showed the truck arrived at the business the evening before, and an employee found him the next morning. The case drew wide attention on social media, including posts by the rapper T.I.
Federal review: None reported
Last verified: 2026-11-14

Verification note: Atlanta Black Star says an autopsy determined the finding; Snopes, quoting the coroner's statement, says no autopsy was ordered. Atlanta Black Star and Essence call him a Charlotte, N.C., native; Snopes says he was from Huntersville, N.C. Atlanta Black Star says he was found in the trailer; Snopes, citing the coroner, says the sleeper compartment.

Sources

Record history

Nov 14, 2026 · Reviewed update
Record updated
- Verification note: Atlanta Black Star says an autopsy determined the finding; Snopes, quoting the coroner's statement, says no autopsy was ordered. Atlanta Black Star and Essence call him a Charlotte, N.C., native; Snopes says he was from Huntersville, N.C. Atlanta Black Star says he was found in the trailer; Snopes, citing the coroner, says the sleeper compartment.
- Sources updated
Nov 14, 2026 · Reviewed update
Case added
- Name: Taemon Blair
- Age: 21
- Date found: 2019-03-14
- City or county: Fort Wayne
- State: IN
- Status: Ruled suicide, disputed
- What happened updated
- What happened sources updated
- Where found: His parked tractor-trailer at a business
- Official finding: Suicide (Allen County Coroner's Office, statement dated March 28, 2019)
- Time to finding: 14 days
- Investigation: Fort Wayne Police Department and the Allen County Coroner's Office. According to Snopes, the coroner's March 28, 2019 statement said there were no signs of a struggle and no documentation supporting several claims that circulated on social media.
- Family position: The family doesn't accept the ruling and asked police to keep investigating. His older brother, Dee Smith, told FOX 46: "We just want him to get justice. That's all we want" (as quoted by Essence and Atlanta Black Star). His mother, Taesha Hunt, also told FOX 46 she had doubts.
- Public evidence: Coroner's statement as reported by Snopes: GPS data showed the truck arrived at the business the evening before, and an employee found him the next morning. The case drew wide attention on social media, including posts by the rapper T.I.
- Federal review: None reported
- Verification note: Atlanta Black Star says an autopsy determined the finding; Snopes, quoting the coroner's statement, says an autopsy was deemed not necessary and wasn't ordered. Atlanta Black Star and Essence call him a Charlotte, NC native; Snopes says he was from Huntersville, NC. Atlanta Black Star says he was found in the trailer; Snopes, citing the coroner, says the sleeper compartment. None of the pages opened explicitly states his race; reviewer should confirm before publishing.
- Sources updated