Family Demands Answers After Black Man Found Hanging at Wisconsin Golf Course as Police Cite No Foul Play

MADISON, WISCONSIN — The family of 39-year-old Tory Medley is demanding a deeper investigation after he was found hanging from a tree at Brookfield Hills Golf Course on Nov. 13. While the City of Brookfield Police Department says their initial findings show no signs of foul play, Medley’s family — supported by an attorney and local NAACP chapters — strongly disputes that conclusion and is calling for full transparency.

Police Say Initial Evidence Points to Suicide

According to police, Medley was discovered shortly before noon on Nov. 13. In a Nov. 23 news release, the Brookfield Police Department stated that the investigation so far indicates Medley died by suicide.

Investigators noted the absence of other injuries beyond asphyxiation and said there was no indication another person was present, adding that Medley had been experiencing mental-health challenges in the days leading up to his death.

The department emphasized:
“There is no evidence at the scene suggesting that any other individuals were present at the time of his death.”

Despite this statement, the case remains open as detectives review possible surveillance footage and continue communicating with at least one family member.

Sister Rejects Suicide Ruling, Calls the Investigation “Premature”

Medley’s sister, Shena Medley, issued a public statement on Facebook describing the devastation of losing her younger brother and criticizing the early assumption of suicide.

“His death was immediately labeled a ‘possible suicide’ before critical questions about how he got there and what truly happened were fully examined,” she wrote.

Speaking with Fox 6 Milwaukee, she said the loss has left her heartbroken.

“Tory was my little brother… This is going to be the hardest trip I will ever have to make, to go home to lay him to rest.”

The family says they want answers not only about what happened on Nov. 13, but also about how investigators reached their early conclusions.

Attorney and NAACP Say Case Demands Careful, Transparent Review

The Medley family has hired attorney William Sulton, who argues that officials were too quick to classify the death as a suicide.

“The chief of police arrived at a conclusion on a death where they haven’t actually completed their investigation,” Sulton said. “And they won’t talk to the family about it.”

He noted the long, painful history of Black men being found hanging in public places, calling it essential that law enforcement handle such cases with heightened diligence.

Local NAACP representatives, including Montre Moore of the Waukesha chapter, say they are offering support and monitoring communication between police and the family.

“These types of circumstances are extraordinarily unusual,” Moore said. “We want to make sure the communication is there, the respect is there.”

Family Continues Push for Independent Answers

As of the latest update, police say they are reviewing surveillance footage that may shed more light on Medley’s final hours. The family, however, maintains that only a full, transparent explanation will bring them closer to understanding what happened.

The death of Tory Medley has sparked growing calls for accountability, community involvement, and careful investigative work as Wisconsin contends with broader conversations about race, policing, and public trust.

Thank you for reading. ChicagoMusicGuide.com will continue to follow developments in this investigation as more information becomes available.