call NC vital records dept. they should be able to point you in the right directions. unless you are the executor of the will or a beneficiary of some sort, or a direct blood relative (brother, parent, child) good luck.
when I saw this title, I was thinking East Durham would be a good place to start, seems to always have a few laying around but I guess you're looking for a specific one.
it's not some big, interesting story but here it is. Basically, my wife's great uncle adopted some kid years ago that he found in a trailer. he took a life insurance policy out on him and evidently he kicked it a little while back. she's the beneficiary. the insurance people said we need to find the death certificate. however, we don't know where he died, how or when.
Ok... so the great uncle took out a policy on the adopted son that was found in a trailer and your wife is the benefactor. Great uncle passed away and adopted son faded into the horizon. Now you have heard that adopted son has passed, but you need proof of this via death certificate in order to collect on the benefits of the insurance policy. Is that close?
If you know he died in Michigan, just call the state. They'll be able to tell you what county he died in. Just because he lived here, NC won't have his record of death.
You'll only be able to get a certified certificate through the Register of Deeds office in the county of death. You'll need that certified copy for the insurance policy.