Melinda Yvonne Hayes, a 21-year-old woman from Winston-Salem, NC, tragically lost her life on July 17, 1988. She was one of four victims killed in a mass shooting outside a moped shop owned by her stepfather. The incident began around 11:00 p.m. when Michael Charles Hayes, a 24-year-old man, opened fire with a .22 caliber rifle. Hayes claimed he believed he was killing demons.
Hayes shot nine people in total, killing four of them, including Melinda Hayes, Crystal Cantrell , Thomas Walter Nicholson , and Ronald Lee Hull . The shooting spree lasted until around 11:45 p.m., when deputies critically wounded Hayes, ending the rampage. Hayes was later charged with four counts of murder and taken into custody.
The incident sparked significant criticism of the Forsyth County Sheriff's Department's response. Witnesses reported that deputies hesitated to engage the shooter, even after multiple victims had already been killed. Sheriff Preston Oldham defended the department's actions, stating that they responded immediately upon receiving the first call at 11:32 p.m. However, some witnesses claimed that the first call was made earlier, around 11:00 p.m.
Hayes' trial began on March 27, 1989, and he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. This verdict led to public outrage and calls for changes to the insanity defense laws in North Carolina. Hayes was committed to Dorothea Dix State Mental Hospital in Raleigh, where he was treated for his mental illness. Over the years, Hayes has petitioned for his release, but his requests have been met with resistance from the victims' families and the community.
The tragic death of Melinda Yvonne Hayes and the subsequent legal battles surrounding Michael Charles Hayes' trial have left a lasting impact on the community and continue to be a topic of discussion and controversy.
