Wendell Robinson Jr., 36, of Ellerbe, North Carolina, was found dead from gunshot wounds just before dawn on August 3, 2025, lying beside a home on Easterling Avenue. Deputies arrived about 6:30 a.m. after a neighbor returned home, discovered him unresponsive, and confirmed he had been shot; he died at the scene. The discovery triggered a homicide investigation that drew local rescue and medical personnel while detectives canvassed the small neighborhood for evidence and witnesses.

Investigators quickly identified a suspect, 28-year-old Raequan Lameek Ratliff of Hamlet. Authorities announced multiple warrants on August 5, including one for murder, and warned that Ratliff was armed and dangerous. By August 6, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office reported Ratliff had been captured after fleeing to Rowan County. Deputies said additional gunfire had been directed into parked vehicles at the Ellerbe Manor Apartments and into an occupied home on Sallie Goins Hill Road, producing several related charges including three counts of attempted murder, discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Ratliff was booked into the Richmond County Jail and held without bond as the investigation continued.

Did anyone in Ellerbe see or hear anything that morning that could help investigators?