Albuquerque Police Department seeks independent review of man's death

Two arrested for Cricket Wireless robbery; another remains at large

David Fauntleroy, 63, of Albuquerque, and Lawrence Jackson III, 52, of Iowa, were arrested Feb. 1 for robbery charges at Cricket Wireless on NM 528. Fauntleroy was arrested for armed robbery, receipt transportation or possession of a firearm and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Jackson was arrested for conspiracy to commit […]

ALBUQUERQUE — The Albuquerque Police Department is requesting an outside agency review one of its own cases — a man’s death last year that was ruled a suicide after autopsy.

APD’s decision to get an independent review of the death of Jayvon Givan comes after the case was recently described as “a lynching” over social media, alongside inaccurate information that the death happened in the past few weeks.

In a news release Tuesday, APD Chief Harold Medina said the case would get “an independent review” but did not say what agency would review the case or elaborate on the reasons APD would ask for such a review.

The announcement comes a day after community members and advocacy groups gathered in front of APD headquarters and demanded that APD conduct an independent investigation, including an immediate autopsy.

“Our field officers rely on medical investigators to determine the cause and manner of death, which informs the department’s decision to pursue a criminal investigation,” Medina said. “While this death appears to be a death by suicide, the fact that it involved a hanging is enough reason for further scrutiny.”

In response to multiple questions, APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos did not say which agency would conduct the independent review. He did say that APD will turn over all evidence related to Givan’s case.

Gallegos did not respond to further questions.

Givan, from Kansas City, was reported missing on Oct. 1 by his twin sister, Jaivryon Walker.

Police filed a missing person report after Walker’s call but then discovered Givan was found dead a year earlier, on Sept. 27, 2024, hanging from a chain in a vacant building in Corrales.

Investigators did not find any signs of foul play and the Office of the Medical Investigator determined that Givan had died by suicide, Gallegos said. Gallegos added that an autopsy confirmed that finding.

“If foul play was expected, APD protocol is to implement a full violent crime callout,” Gallegos wrote in response to questions from the Journal.