On November 28, 2024, at approximately 1:30 a.m., 55-year-old Robert Cummings was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound in the front yard of a residence on West Barbee Street near Primrose Place in Zebulon, North Carolina. Emergency responders transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In the days following the incident, Zebulon police launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Cummings' death.
On December 20, 2024, authorities arrested 43-year-old Jason Linwood Hedges at his home on East Vance Street, approximately a mile from the crime scene. Hedges was charged with murder in connection with the shooting and was taken to the Wake County Detention Center, where he is being held without bail.
Additionally, 30-year-old Armond Duval Ledbetter was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact. Investigators allege that Ledbetter assisted Hedges in fleeing the scene following the shooting. Ledbetter received a $50,000 secured bond.
Family members of Robert Cummings believe the shooting may have stemmed from an earlier altercation involving Cummings, his brother, and a group of individuals outside the home. According to Cummings' son, Damain, investigators suggested that the group left after the argument but later returned, leading to the fatal shooting.
The Zebulon Police Department has classified the incident as isolated, indicating there is no ongoing threat to the community. Both suspects are expected to appear in court as the investigation continues.
Robert Cummings' funeral service was held on December 8, 2024, at Beavers Chapel Christian Church in Zebulon, followed by interment at Gethsemane Memorial Gardens.
