Rodney Lucas, a 45-year-old African American male from Wendell, North Carolina, was found shot to death outside a home in the 800 block of W. Barbee Street near Zebulon on October 27, 2019. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. during a party held at a commercial business site that had been rented for the occasion. According to witnesses, an altercation broke out shortly after the party ended, leading to the fatal shooting of Lucas.
Mark Ray, a 45-year-old convicted felon from Raleigh, was
arrested in connection with the shooting. Ray, who has previous convictions for firearms offenses, was charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was taken into custody by the Wake County Sheriff's Office and held at the Wake County Detention Center without bond. Ray made a court appearance on October 28, 2019, where he was formally arraigned on the murder charge.
The investigation revealed that Lucas had attended the party before the altercation occurred. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots in the moments leading up to the discovery of Lucas' body. The property where the party was held is a commercial business site with several trailers and buildings, one of which was rented for the private event.
Ray's criminal history includes a 2008 conviction for shooting another man in Zebulon, as well as multiple convictions for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He had been released from prison in February 2019, just months before the fatal shooting of Lucas.
The tragic death of Rodney Lucas has left the community in shock, with neighbors expressing their sorrow and disbelief over the incident. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting continues, as authorities work to piece together the events that led to Lucas' untimely death.
