In the quiet city of Fayetteville, North Carolina, the evening of September 11, 2026, was shattered by a discovery that would soon grip the community. It was around 7:49 p.m. when officers from the Fayetteville Police Department were dispatched to the area of Pelt Drive and Carlyle Drive to conduct a welfare check. Upon their arrival, a grim scene awaited them. Inside a residence, they found a man who had been shot.
Medical personnel were unable to render aid, and the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. The man was identified as Odis Norris Jr., a 70-year-old Black man from Fayetteville. As the initial shock began to settle, investigators from the Homicide Unit commenced a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The initial days of the investigation were marked by an appeal to the public for any information that could lead to a breakthrough in the case. Detectives worked diligently, piecing together the events that led to the tragic end of Odis Norris Jr.'s life. Their efforts soon bore fruit, and a suspect was identified. On September 14, 2026, just three days after the discovery of the crime, an arrest was made. The individual taken into custody was 38-year-old Wilson Watson. Watson was subsequently charged with several serious felonies, including First Degree Murder, Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
Following his arrest, Wilson Watson was booked into the Cumberland County Detention Center, where he was held without bond. The arrest brought a sense of relief to a community shaken by the violent death of one of its elderly residents. While the motive for the crime was not immediately made public, the charges of robbery with a dangerous weapon suggested a violent confrontation that ultimately led to the loss of life. The case against Watson represented a significant step towards securing justice for Odis Norris Jr. and his family. The investigation remained ongoing as authorities continued to gather evidence and build their case, aiming to provide a full accounting of the events that transpired on that fateful September evening and to hold the person responsible for this heinous act fully accountable under the law.
