In the late hours of a Monday evening in Smithfield, North Carolina, a fatal encounter unfolded, leaving a 28-year-old man, Rene Antonio Maldonado Garay, dead from a gunshot wound. The incident occurred on February 2, 2026, in the yard of a residence at the 301 Mobile Home Park, situated on South Brightleaf Boulevard. Responding to a call around 10 p.m., Smithfield Police officers discovered Maldonado Garay at the scene, having succumbed to his injuries.
The man accused of the killing,
23-year-old Albert Abdelnor, remained at the location and was cooperative with the detectives who arrived to investigate the shooting. Authorities have indicated that the deadly confrontation was not a random act of violence but rather the tragic culmination of an ongoing family dispute between the two men. A shotgun, believed to be the weapon used in the incident, was recovered by law enforcement at the scene.
Following the initial investigation, Albert Abdelnor was taken into custody and has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Rene Antonio Maldonado Garay. He was subsequently booked into the Johnston County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond as the investigation into the matter continues.
