Shaudria Dawn Barfield, a 24-year-old African American woman, was found dead in her car on July 3, 2004, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her body was discovered in the parking lot of the State Employees' Credit Union on Pacific Drive. Shaudria had been shot twice in the head, and her car was still running when a jogger found her. The investigation revealed that Shaudria and Larry Dean Carter, a 26-year-old African American man, had a personal relationship. Despite this, the crime was not directly related to a domestic-violence incident.
Larry Dean Carter was charged with the murder of Shaudria Dawn Barfield. At the time of his arrest, Carter was already in custody at the Wake County Jail on another charge. The investigation indicated that Carter and Barfield had known each other for about two years and had dated during that time. However, Barfield had a restraining order against Carter, which she was in the process of getting lifted when she was killed. The motive for the crime remains unclear, but it was not considered a result of domestic violence.
In addition to Larry Dean Carter, his twin brother, Lamont Carter, was also charged with first-degree murder in connection with Shaudria's death. Lamont Carter was arrested on July 15, 2004, and both brothers had prior criminal records. Larry Carter had previously been involved in a shootout with police in 1993, which resulted in him spending eight years in prison. Lamont Carter had been arrested in Wake County 29 times on 58 criminal charges since 1993.
Larry Carter eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The trial date for Lamont Carter had not been set at the time of the last available information. The case remains a tragic example of violence and the impact it has on the lives of those involved.
