On January 24, 2023, in Red Springs, North Carolina, 51-year-old Donald Kendrick Williams was fatally shot alongside two others: his sister, 34-year-old Sierra Nicole Wherry, and 45-year-old family friend, James Elijah Beauregard. The incident also left their 71-year-old mother, Equilla Williams-Biggs, critically injured.
The suspect, 46-year-old Corey Grant Leak, is a relative of the victims—nephew to Williams-Biggs and cousin to Williams and Wherry.
Leak had previously served nearly 27 years in prison for a 1993 murder and was on parole at the time of the shootings. Authorities apprehended him shortly after the incident, charging him with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Investigations suggest that the tragic event stemmed from a dispute over money, possibly related to drugs. The community of Red Springs has been deeply affected, holding vigils and memorials to honor the victims and support the grieving family.
