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Crystal Cantrell

Death by Force
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 ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (7)
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  • Old Salisbury Road shooting - Wikipedia
  • Three victims buried amid criticism of authorities - UPI Archives
    •     ...View 5 additional sources
    Victim Details

    Crystal Cantrell

    Female

    Winston-salem

    NC

    1988-07-17

    Crystal

    Cantrell

    11/18/2025

    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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