Fletcher autopsy cites ‘blunt force’ head trauma, weekly news featured,

Manner of death is listed as ‘undetermined’

According to the autopsy report from the Virginia Medical Examiner’s office, the cause of death in the case of LeeAnn Fletcher has been determined to be “complications of blunt force trauma to the head with hepatic cirrhosis with clinical hepatic failure contributing.”

The manner of death, according to the autopsy is “undetermined,” one of five choices along with homicide, suicide, accident or natural. In a brief interview with the Voice on Oct. 13, an official in the Virginia Medical Examiner’s office declined to comment further on the findings.

A Kitty Hawk resident, LeeAnn Fletcher died on July 25 after being found unresponsive in her home three days earlier. Her family and supporters have launched a public campaign on social media and elsewhere to push for the arrest of the individual they believe killed her. The case is in the jurisdiction of the Kitty Hawk Police, but on Sept. 9, the State Bureau of Investigation joined the investigation.

Trisha Cahoon, LeeAnn Fletcher’s cousin who has launched a tireless campaign to the keep the case on the front burner, told the Voice that the autopsy report vindicates the family’s view and indicates that the “patient died from something other than natural causes.”

Cahoon added that “There were multiple things that caused her death” that were set in motion “by the blunt force trauma that caused a bleed” and worsened as she lay unattended, including hypoxia (lack of oxygen) to her major organs.

Cahoon also asserted that LeeAnn Fletcher’s “family has called the DA every day for the past two weeks,” without getting a response.  First Judicial District Attorney Andrew Womble, who has confirmed receipt of the autopsy report, said in a brief statement on Oct. 13 that, “The matter is an ongoing criminal investigation and I have no comment regarding the Medical Examiner’s finding.”

Womble’s office has said during this investigation that it needed to see the results of the autopsy report before making any final decisions about criminal charges in the case.