MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Friends of a retired Memphis police detective are mourning after he was found dead outside his Southwest Memphis home Sunday morning.
William Fleming did not make it to church Sunday after learning his neighbor and friend Mark LeSure was found dead a few houses away on Falcon Drive. LeSure, a retired Memphis Police homicide detective, was discovered lifeless in the driveway of his home.
“I was getting ready to go to church, and my son called me, and he said, ‘somethin’ done happened down the street,'” Fleming said. “I liked to pass out ’cause I just couldn’t believe, I just couldn’t believe that was him laying out there. I couldn’t believe that was him.”
Fleming said LeSure had been working to obtain a Master’s degree from Le Moyne-Owen College, a feat he accomplished and proudly announced to his neighbor during their last conversation.
“About a week ago, I talked to him, and he was sitting there smoking a El Producto, and I said,’ Put that cigar down.’ He told me ‘just graduated and got a degree,'” he said.
On the campus of LeMoyne-Owen, news of LeSure’s death hit hard. William, Anderson’s Athletic Director at LeMoyne-Owen, was a fellow Omega Psi Phi fraternity brother with LeSure.
He called LeSure’s drive to achieve a degree through Le Moyne’s accelerated program for adults nothing short of impressive and a tribute to his legacy.
“Everyone on the campus knew who he was and loved him,” Anderson said. “I think he consistently strived to be a lifelong learner and to do what he could to give back to help others.”
The investigation into LeSure’s death is ongoing. If you have any information that could help police in their investigation, you are urged to call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.