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Crystal Cantrell

Case from Winston-salem, NC dated Jul 17, 1988

Victim Details

Crystal Cantrell

Female

Winston-salem

NC

1988-07-17

Crystal

Cantrell

07/07/2026

Case Description

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Crystal Suzanne Cantrell, a 16-year-old girl from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, tragically lost her life on July 17, 1988. She was one of four victims of a mass shooting carried out by Michael Charles Hayes, who claimed he was killing demons. The incident occurred on Old Salisbury Road, where Hayes shot nine people with a .22-caliber rifle. Crystal was shot three times in her car after being flagged down by Hayes.

Hayes, who was 24 years old at the time, had a history of drug abuse and m ...
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Links to Additional Sources (4)

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  • Old Salisbury Road shooting - Wikipedia
  • Three victims buried amid criticism of authorities - UPI Archives
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    Forum Posts (2)

    I’ve been thinking a lot about Crystal Cantrell recently, and it just breaks my heart how she was ... ...Read More
    01/06/2025
    I was reading through some old articles about the shooting and something that really stood out to me... ...Read More
    02/13/2024
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