Billy Ray Hardy Jr., 40, was shot multiple times and killed the night of May 24, 2025, at a home on Durham Lake Road in Dudley, North Carolina. Deputies with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office were called about 9:20 p.m.; Hardy was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators secured the residence and canvassed the neighborhood for witnesses after what had been described as a quiet Saturday that suddenly turned violent.

Authorities said a suspect had been identified shortly after the homicide but did not release a name or description, and no arrest was announced in the immediate aftermath. Regional tracking sites, public memorial listings and obituary notices confirm his full name as Billy Ray Hardy Jr. and his birthdate as July 30, 1984, establishing his age as 40 at the time of death. The investigation was active and officials said additional details would be released when appropriate.

If anyone saw or heard anything on Durham Lake Road the night of May 24, or has information about the shooting, please share what is known with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.