Second murder suspect caught
By John Joyce
Published in News on February 14, 2013 1:46 PM
A man local lawmen allege participated in a December double-murder was arrested Tuesday a mile away from where the fatal shooting took place.
Kevin Raiford, 29, was taken into custody without incident in Dudley and charged with two counts of murder for what Wayne County Sheriff's Office investigators claim was his role in an incident that left Anthony Jamal Kornegay, 28, and Nakiea Felicia Garner, 30, dead.
Raiford, Det. Sgt. Michael Kabler said, was developed as a suspect a few weeks after the shooting and a warrant for his arrest was issued.
He had, until a few days ago, been on the run.
Kornegay and Garner were among four people shot at 1172 B Old Mount Olive Highway at about 9:45 p.m. Dec. 2.
The other two victims, Tre Stokes and Leonard Darden, survived.
Later that evening, a manhunt for 28-year-old Jujuan Cox, the alleged shooter, ensued and continued into the next day when the Evelyn Circle resident was located at a Motel 8 in Smithfield.
Raiford's arrest, officials said, was anticlimactic by comparison.
"Deputy Tyler Kelly was on patrol in the Rollingwood Estates area and observed a subject he thought to be Kevin Raiford," Kabler said, adding that Kelly approached the man and began talking with him.
Through that conversation, Kabler added, Raiford was identified and arrested.
"The Sheriff is pleased. We all are," Kabler said. "It was very good work by Deputy Kelly."
Raiford was turned over to investigators and brought to the Wayne County Jail were he is being held without bond.
"Now we just wait, gather up all of our information," Kabler said. "The lead investigator, Det. Sgt. Golimoski, will submit the case file to the prosecutor."
Raiford's first appearance in Wayne County District Court was Wednesday.
Cox's next court date is slated for March 13.