Cornelius Montrell Clark, a 23-year-old African American male from Eden, North Carolina, was found dead from a gunshot wound in a silver van off N.C. Hwy. 14 and Harrington Highway in Eden in the early hours of November 20, 2016. Deputies responding to reports of a vehicle accident discovered Clark's body in the van situated in a wooded area just off the road.
His death was quickly determined to be the result of a gunshot wound.
The investigation into Clark's homicide was extensive and involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office, the Eden Police Department, and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation . Over the years, investigators tirelessly worked to solve the case, following all leads as they became available. In late 2024, new technological advancements provided crucial evidence that led to the arrest of Demetrius Deshawn Hairston, a 34-year-old African American male who was already incarcerated at the North Carolina Bureau of Prisons for other crimes. Hairston was formally charged with First-Degree Murder in connection to Clark's death. He was transported back to Rockingham County from his current prison location and served with the charges. Hairston has also been charged with Shooting into Occupied Property related to a separate incident that occurred in Eden on the same night, November 20, 2016, where gunfire struck a vehicle at the intersection of Ellette Ave and Oakland Ave, though no one in the vehicle was injured.
In addition to Hairston, Mandre Daquan Graves, a 34-year-old African American male, also faces charges in connection to the shooting. Graves is currently incarcerated in Virginia, and authorities are awaiting his extradition to North Carolina. The investigation into Clark’s homicide also uncovered information related to a Breaking and Entering that occurred in Ruffin, NC on November 19, 2016, just one day before Clark’s death. Timmy Anthony Williamson II, a 29-year-old African American male, was charged in connection to the break-in at a residence on Mt Carmel Church Road. Williamson was arrested in Anderson, SC in late December 2024 and has since been extradited to Rockingham County, where he is currently incarcerated under a $9,000 secured bond.
Sheriff Sam Page praised the collective efforts of the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, stating that they had followed all leads on the case over the years and knew it was only a matter of time before it would all come together. Although Clark cannot be brought back, the charges against Hairston, Graves, and Williamson provide a sense of closure and justice for Clark's family.
