Kwandre Carey, a 24-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on May 24, 2021, in Reidsville, North Carolina. Kwandre was on a cross-country motorcycle trip when he was gunned down while riding along U.S. 29 Bypass in Rockingham County. The incident occurred as Kwandre, along with his friends Isaac and Haneefa Fitzgerald, were returning home to Virginia after a multi-day, multi-state motorcycle trip.
They had stopped at Love’s Travel Stop in Reidsville for a meal before continuing their journey. As they left the travel stop, Martin Calvin Cox Jr., a 43-year-old male, began following them in a red 2019 Dodge Ram 4500. Cox caught up to them and fired several shots with a 9mm handgun, fatally wounding Kwandre and Haneefa.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but it was reported that there was no interaction between the victims and the shooter prior to the incident. Kwandre's mother, Aretha Carey, expressed her heartbreak and confusion over the senseless act of violence. She described her son as a good kid who would form instant friendships with anyone he met.
Martin Calvin Cox Jr. was apprehended the following day by the Kentucky State Police while traveling through Bullitt County, Kentucky. He was extradited back to Rockingham County to stand trial. In March 2023, Cox pled guilty in Rockingham County Superior Court to two counts of First-Degree Murder and one count of Attempted First-Degree Murder for the deaths of Kwandre Carey and Haneefa Fitzgerald, and the shooting of Isaac Fitzgerald.
In addition to Cox's conviction, a juvenile was charged in August 2021 with two counts of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and one count of accessory after the fact to attempted first-degree murder in connection to the deaths of Kwandre Carey and Haneefa Fitzgerald. The case has left a lasting impact on the community, with many mourning the loss of Kwandre and Haneefa and seeking justice for their untimely deaths.
