James Morrison, a 28-year-old African American male from Raeford, North Carolina, was tragically killed in the early hours of January 1, 1995. His death occurred just hours after a mass shooting at the Puppy Creek Family Fun Game Room on Rockfish Road, which left five people dead and one critically injured. Morrison was shot at the former Zodiac Lounge on Vass Road, marking the final act in a violent spree that began on New Year's Eve.
The suspect in Morrison's death, along with the other killings that night, was identified as 20-year-old Rodrigue Ferguson. Ferguson was charged by the Hoke County Sheriff's Department with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. The victims of the earlier shooting included Jamie Hunter, 39, and his wife Deborah Hunter, 37, who owned the Puppy Creek establishment. Their daughter, Mary Ann Hunter, then 15, survived but was left paralyzed from the chest down due to a bullet wound. Also killed were Tim Powell, 20, and Steve Locklear, 18.
James Morrison, the 28-year-old African American male victim, was shot hours later, and his death was linked to the same suspect. Ferguson’s trial was scheduled to begin on October 6, 1997, nearly three years after the killings. The families of the victims, including Morrison’s, attended pre-trial hearings, often avoiding eye contact with Ferguson due to the emotional toll and the prosecution’s concern about courtroom bias.
The case drew significant attention in Raeford and surrounding communities, not only for the number of victims but also for the brutality and timing of the crimes. Ferguson’s alleged actions on New Year's Eve and into New Year's Day left a lasting impact on the families involved and the broader community.
