Robert Roger Arguelles, 59, was shot and killed in his office at Old Hickory Tannery, a furniture company in Newton that he co-owned, on the afternoon of June 17, 2026. Police described the attack as an ambush; Arguelles was struck multiple times in the chest and back and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said he was unarmed and there was no evidence of a physical altercation before the shooting.

The man detained at the scene was Arguelles’s 85-year-old business partner, Willard Gary Black. Officers recovered a .38-caliber revolver believed to be the murder weapon. The shooting followed a protracted business dispute: Arguelles had lent Black about $300,000 and sued in 2024 to recover the debt. A settlement that required Black to turn the business over and repay the loan was enforced by a judge the morning of June 17; four hours later the shooting occurred.

Black was initially charged with second-degree murder; a Catawba County grand jury later indicted him on first-degree murder. He was held on $2.5 million bond. The investigation is ongoing. If anyone knew Arguelles or has information about the case or the events at Old Hickory Tannery, please share what was seen or known.