Michael Eugene Watson Jr., 46, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Monday, January 26, 2026, at a residence in the 1200 block of Honeycomb Place in Lenoir, North Carolina. Deputies from the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call about a shooting around 2:09 a.m.; Watson was found with a gunshot wound and pronounced dead after life-saving efforts.

Investigators located a man in a vehicle in a driveway at a different nearby home who was taken into custody and charged with murder in connection with Watson’s death. The charge was announced and the suspect is being held without bond; authorities have not released details about a motive and the circumstances that led to the shooting remain under investigation.

Watson, known affectionately as Big Mike, had a long career in the grocery industry, enjoyed fishing and the outdoors, and is survived by two daughters. If anyone has information about what happened that night, please share it with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office.