On the evening of April 4, 2023, 68-year-old Ricky Mel Gilliam was shot to death at his home on Governors Road in Windsor, North Carolina. At about 9:39 p.m. Gilliam answered his doorbell and, as he approached, multiple gunshots were fired from outside, striking him several times. A relative in the house called 911; deputies performed CPR but Gilliam was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gilliam, born February 1, 1955, graduated from Bertie County School in 1973, attended North Carolina A&T State University, and worked for Weyerhaeuser Industry. He married Cenda Jefferson Cooper in 1980 and was the father of James Bernard Cooper and Kimberly Gilliam Mobley; he was also a grandfather and great-grandfather and described as a well-respected community member.

The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office, with help from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, canvassed the neighborhood, collected evidence and reviewed surveillance, but reported no immediate leads. Authorities asked anyone who saw suspicious activity between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. that night to come forward. Does anyone in the Windsor area remember unusual activity that evening or have footage or tips that could help the investigation?