On September 8, 2009, 17-year-old Jermaine Larquez Lynch, a young African American male from Rocky Mount, NC, was tragically killed during a home robbery. The incident occurred just after 10 p.m. at a residence on Travis Run. A group of friends were playing cards outside the home when an SUV with four to six men pulled up. The men, who were masked and dressed in dark clothing, claimed to be police officers and brandished handguns, shotguns, and rifles.
They ordered the card players to lie on the ground and began robbing them.
Jermaine, who lived nearby, witnessed the robbery and attempted to flee the scene. Unfortunately, one of the gunmen shot him in the upper body as he tried to run away. He was pronounced dead at Nash General Hospital shortly after. The suspects, who were described as having limited descriptions due to their masks, fled the scene in the SUV. Police conducted a K9 search and found some of the stolen items in a nearby ditch, but no suspects were apprehended at the time.
Rocky Mount police launched an investigation and sought information from the public. They described one of the gunmen as a black man between 45 and 50 years old, with a thin build and a gray, thin beard. The police urged anyone with information to come forward and contact Detective Michael Lewis or Crime Stoppers. Despite their efforts, no arrests were made immediately following the incident.
The tragic death of Jermaine Larquez Lynch sparked a community-wide effort to find justice for the young victim. The police continued to investigate the case, but as of now, no suspects have been identified or arrested in connection with his murder. The case remains open, and the Rocky Mount police department continues to seek information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for Jermaine's death.
This heartbreaking event left a lasting impact on the community and serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and cooperation in the pursuit of justice.
