Christian Oldham was a 30-year-old White man and a dedicated U.S. Marine Sergeant known for his strength of character and loyalty. A native of Hillsborough, North Carolina, he was an active-duty platoon leader assigned to the 2d Marine Division at Camp Lejeune. Friends and fellow Marines remembered him as a "really outstanding guy" who always wanted the best for the people he led.
On the morning of October 12, 2024, at approximately 6:22 a.m., officers from the Raleigh Police Department
responded to a report of a shooting inside a parking garage in the 400 block of South Salisbury Street. On the second level of the structure, they found Oldham suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation revealed that Oldham had been with a longtime friend, 30-year-old Spencer Charles Wrightington of Greenville. According to what Wrightington told investigators, the two had been drinking at a party earlier and were inside Oldham’s car in the garage. They were passing Oldham’s handgun back and forth, believing it was unloaded. Investigators determined that the firearm discharged while Wrightington was holding it. Wrightington, who called 911 after the shooting, repeatedly stated that it was an accident.
Wrightington was taken into custody at the scene and was initially charged with murder. He was held in jail without bond while the case proceeded.
In August 2026, nearly two years after Oldham’s death, the case came to a resolution. Spencer Wrightington pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter. A Wake County Superior Court judge sentenced him to serve a minimum of 20 months and a maximum of 30 months in prison. As part of his sentence, Wrightington was also required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, obtain a sponsor, and undergo a substance abuse assessment and treatment.
