Buncombe County Detention Facility Detainee Dies After Being Found Unresponsive in Cell

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — A 33-year-old man awaiting trial on multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder and first-degree rape, has died after being found unresponsive inside his cell at the Buncombe County Detention Facility.

The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office said Douglas Michael Stroupe was found unresponsive shortly after 1 p.m. Monday, August 24. He was transported to Mission Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased Tuesday afternoon, August 25.

Following Stroupe’s death, the Sheriff’s Office notified the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office and members of his family.

The NCSBI will conduct an independent review into the circumstances surrounding Stroupe’s death. Authorities have not released a cause or manner of death, and no additional details about what happened inside the detention facility have been made public.

Stroupe Had Been Held Since November

Stroupe was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility on November 26, 2025, following his arrest in connection with a violent incident in Asheville’s Biltmore Village area.

According to Asheville Police, officers responded to Warren Avenue on the night of November 20, 2025, to assist EMS with a man who had reportedly been severely beaten. As officers investigated, they were given a description of a suspect and located Stroupe nearby.

Information gathered at the first scene led officers to conduct a welfare check at a nearby residence. Police said they discovered a burglary scene and found 45-year-old Jennifer Rose Gerard deceased inside the home from multiple knife wounds.

Stroupe was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and first-degree burglary.

In December 2025, Asheville Police announced an additional first-degree rape charge after laboratory analysis of forensic evidence. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office assisted with specialized forensic examination that contributed to the additional charge.

Stroupe remained in the Buncombe County Detention Facility without bond while awaiting trial.

Previous Arrests

Additional reporting following Stroupe’s November 2025 arrest indicated he had an extensive recent criminal history.

According to court records cited by WLOS, Stroupe had been arrested multiple times over the preceding two years and had served two jail sentences in 2025. He served 39 days following a breaking-and-entering conviction in September and was sentenced to 75 days for assaulting a government official, with that sentence being credited as time served.

Police said Stroupe had been released from jail on November 13, just seven days before the incident that resulted in the murder and other felony charges.

The murder investigation began after police responded to the Warren Avenue assault and subsequently discovered Gerard’s body at a nearby residence.

Independent Review Underway

While Stroupe was awaiting trial and had not been convicted of the charges filed against him, his death now brings an additional investigation into the circumstances surrounding his time in custody.

The NCSBI’s independent review is expected to examine the circumstances leading up to Stroupe being found unresponsive, as well as the response to the medical emergency.

At this time, officials have not indicated that anyone else is suspected in connection with his death, nor have they released information regarding a possible cause.

A court hearing in Stroupe’s criminal case had been scheduled for August 31. His death will bring the criminal proceedings against him to an end.

The investigation into his death remains ongoing, and additional information is expected to be released as authorities complete their review.