News

Timeline In Tisdale Death Investigation

None — Nov. 15, approximately 1:30 a.m.:

Delvonte Tisdale was last seen at his Charlotte home by his sibling.

Nov. 15, between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.: Tisdale's family members wake up for the day and realize the teenager is not home. They assume he has already left for school.

Nov. 15, approximately 7 p.m.: Boeing 737 takes off from Charlotte Douglas International Airport and heads to Logan International Airport in Boston.

Nov. 15, evening: Tisdale's father reports his son missing.

Nov. 15, shortly before 9 p.m.: A Milton, Mass. resident hears a loud crashing noise.

Nov. 15, 9:30 p.m.: College students driving through the Milton area find Tisdale's severely injured body lying in the road. The place the body was found is directly below a flight path to Logan International.

Nov. 15, after 9:30 p.m.: Investigators process scene where body was found. Subsequent analysis shows that the trauma to the body occurred on site.

Nov. 16: An autopsy of Tisdale's body reveals no knife or gun wounds, but shows trauma consistent with a significant fall. The medical examiner's office lists the official cause of death as undetermined.

Nov. 19: Detectives from Massachusetts travel to Charlotte to meet with Tisdale's family and collect fingerprints and other evidence from his home.

Nov. 21: Fingerprints taken from Tisdale's home are determined to match the fingerprints taken from the body. Dental records also confirm that the body is Tisdale's. Police notify Tisdale's family of the positive identification.

Week of Nov. 22 - 26: Theory that Tisdale stowed away on a plane and then fell begins to be explored. Flight paths and plans are confirmed through the Federal Aviation Administration.

Dec. 3: Detectives return to North Carolina to take samples of grease used in maintaining airplanes to determine whether it matched grease found on Tisdale's pants. Tests results are still pending.

Two airliners that originated in Charlotte and followed similar flight paths were examined. Physical evidence of someone being in the left wheel well of one plane was found and documented. That evidence included visible hand prints in greasy areas and scuff marks in an area that could accommodate a person.

Dec. 8: Massachusetts State Police conduct an aerial search of the flight path to Logan International Airport for any evidence related to the investigation.

Dec. 9: Milton police conduct a ground search of a wooded area along the flight path and find two sneakers consistent with the ones Tisdale's family said he was wearing. Police also find a red shirt consistent with the one Tisdale was wearing.

Dec. 10: The Norfolk, Mass., district attorney contacts the Transportation Security Administration to inform authorities that Tisdale likely breached airport security and hid in the wheel well of a commercial jetliner.

Dec. 14: Charlotte Douglas International Airport requests that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department conduct an investigation to determine how someone may have gained access to a commercial aircraft. CMPD begins to form a task force.

Jan. 18: Law firm announces it has been retained to represent Tisdale's family.

April 14: CMPD receives the redacted version of the investigation report from the TSA.

April 19: CMPD releases the redacted version of the report.