Blake Warren, a 29-year-old man from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was found dead on November 2, 2021. The tragic incident occurred in the breezeway of an apartment complex on Burke Meadows Road. Warren, who was of African American descent, was discovered unresponsive and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The investigation revealed that he had been shot in the back three times, and his phone was taken from him.
The primary suspect in the case was Damond Craig Roosevelt Hudson, a
20-year-old man who was charged with Warren's murder. Hudson had arranged a meeting with Warren under the pretense of purchasing marijuana. He directed Warren to a vacant apartment and shot him upon his arrival. Hudson then changed his phone number and deleted Warren's contact information from his phone shortly after the murder. Cell phone records and historical cell-site data placed Hudson at the scene of the crime, and Ring doorbell camera footage showed him arriving at a nearby apartment shortly after the murder.
Hudson was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including second-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, felony possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was held without bond at the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center. On June 2, 2023, Hudson entered guilty pleas to second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to a minimum of 157 months in prison.
The investigation into Warren's death was thorough, with detectives piecing together evidence from various sources, including cell phone records and surveillance footage. Despite initially denying any involvement, Hudson eventually admitted to making plans to meet Warren but claimed he had driven someone else to the scene. However, no evidence supported the presence of a third person. Warren's parents expressed their gratitude to the Forsyth County District Attorney's Office and the Winston-Salem Police Department for their efforts in seeking justice for their son.
