ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A 33-year-old man awaiting trial on a first-degree murder charge died after he was found unresponsive in his cell at the Buncombe County Detention Facility, authorities said.
Douglas Michael Stroupe was found unresponsive shortly after 1 p.m. Monday and was taken to Mission Hospital, according to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office. He was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon.
The Sheriff’s Office notified the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office and Stroupe’s family of his death.
The SBI will conduct an independent review of the circumstances surrounding Stroupe’s death, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Stroupe had been held at the detention facility since Nov. 26, 2025, and was awaiting trial on several charges, including first-degree murder.
No additional information about the circumstances of his death was immediately released.