Captain M.D. DeLoatch Sr. of the Northampton County Sheriff's Office said the shooting of a victim driving on Highway 35 does not appear to be linked to the murder of Shuntavius Vaughan.
The shooting occurred around 3 p.m. at Highway 35 and Deberry Mill Road, Deloatch said, where the victim was driving when another car drove up beside him and shot into the drivers side window.
The victim was hit and is hospitalized.
The sheriff's office is looking for Roger Lamont Spencer, who is from the Conway area.
He is described as a brown-skinned black male with shoulder-length dreadlocks. He stands between 5-feet, 7-inches, to 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds.
Warrants have been obtained for his arrest on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.
While the sheriff's office is attempting to obtain more information, there is nothing right now pointing to a link between Thursday's shooting or Vaughan's murder.
The sheriff's office, which has been assisting the Conway Police Department and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, can't tie the Vaughan murder to gang or drug activity at this point, DeLoatch said. “We won't know until we find out more. At this point we don't know if they had a beef.”
DeLoatch said Sheriff Jack Smith, “Wants to make note that shooting into vehicles could involve children or infants who can be struck. He also wants people to settle their differences by non-violent means.”
Thursday's shooting comes a day after the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald of Ahoskie reported shots were fired early Wednesday morning into a residence at 402 West Main Street.
Conway Police Chief Billy Duke told the newspaper he was concerned this shooting may be connected to the murder of the 24-year-old Vaughan.
“This residence was occupied by four individuals; fortunately no one was hurt,” said Duke. “We are asking the public for help. If anyone saw or heard anything late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, we’re asking you to please give us a call.”
Duke said the shooting was reported at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.
“The investigation has led us to believe that the shots were fired from a vehicle traveling on Garris Street at its intersection with Main Street,” Duke noted. “However, no one in the residence saw or heard a vehicle at that particular time. Perhaps someone else in our town saw or heard something. If so, please give us a call.”
Three bullet holes were discovered on the east, outside wall of the residence.
Currently, the News-Herald reported, all four of the suspects in the Vaughan murder are in custody.
The fourth and final suspect was captured in Murfreesboro early Tuesday evening.
Rumeal Daye, 24, of Conway was found hiding in the attic of a residence at 301 Boyette Street in Murfreesboro shortly after 8 p.m. Based on information given to Murfreesboro Police Chief Darrell Rowe and Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan, the residence was quickly surrounded by law enforcement officers from those two agencies.
The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald also learned the other wanted fugitive in the Conway murder – Akeem Robinson, 24 – was captured late Tuesday afternoon in Roanoke Rapids.
Vaughan of Conway was shot and killed at 305 Fields Drive at the Conway Village Apartments last Friday morning.
One of the original four suspects, 25-year-old Chenail Jordan Jr., was arrested on Friday; while another, Brandon Joyner, 24, of Conway, turned himself in around 12:30 p.m. Saturday. They, along with the recently arrested Daye and Robinson, are currently being held in the Northampton County Jail without the opportunity of bond.
All four men stand charged with first degree murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and possession of firearm by a felon.
Anyone with information on the latest shooting cases is encouraged to contact the Conway Police Department at either 252-585-1155 or 252-585-0488 or call Northampton County Central Dispatch at 252-574-1041.
