Keyon West, a 28-year-old African American man, was found dead on December 14, 2022, inside a car submerged in the Roanoke River in Weldon, North Carolina. He had been reported missing on December 5, 2022. An autopsy determined he died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head, with six entrance wounds on the right side, three exit wounds on the left, and multiple skull fractures.

Investigators say the probe has been hampered by a lack of video evidence. Security cameras that cover the area where the car was located have been offline since 2018 because of budget cuts; police say they are pursuing multiple leads while seeking grant money to reactivate the system. No suspects have been named and the investigation remains ongoing.

West’s name has drawn renewed attention because he was previously charged in a 2017 quadruple homicide in Enfield; those charges were dropped in February 2022 after a key witness recanted. If anyone has information about West’s movements in early December 2022 or saw the submerged vehicle, please come forward.