On the night of March 9, 2025, 55-year-old Allen Dean McKenzie, a male resident of Laurel Hill, North Carolina, was fatally shot outside the Laurel Hill Food Mart. Deputies from the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a possible shooting at the store. While en route, they received another call about a subject shot on Pate Street in Laurel Hill. Upon arrival at Pate Street, officers discovered McKenzie lying beside his truck with a gunshot wound.
He was immediately transported to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities identified McKenzie as a possible suspect in an earlier incident at the Laurel Hill Food Mart. Following an investigation, law enforcement arrested 60-year-old David Wendell Chavis, a male resident of Laurinburg, North Carolina, in connection with McKenzie's death. Chavis was charged with first-degree murder and was taken into custody at the Scotland County Detention Center. He is currently being held without bond.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, with law enforcement working to determine the full sequence of events leading up to McKenzie's death. The case has drawn significant attention in the local community, as residents seek answers regarding the tragic incident.
