Fayetteville man charged with voluntary manslaughter after fatally shooting man who police said tried to break into home

Akilah Davis Image
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Fayetteville resident shoots, kills man who ran off after trying to break into apartment

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Fayetteville man has been charged with manslaughter after police said he shot and killed someone who threw a cinder block into his home on Monday.

In a news release, officers said a woman called 911 to report that a man was breaking her window and trying to get into her home around 6 a.m. Another person in the home, later identified as 30-year-old Justin Ryan Hepburn, grabbed a gun and shot at the intruder.

As the man ran off, Hepburn followed him to the intersection of Cain Road and Rogers Drive where the two got into a fight.

Mark Irvin lives a couple doors down and said his 17-year-old son heard it all.

"You don't know if it's gunshots or fire crackers but he said he heard the gunshots and he just came to let me know," said Irvin.

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Officers said Hepburn then shot the man multiple times. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

Fayetteville police identified the suspected burglar as 40-year-old Cordell Spruill. Officers said Hepburn and Spruill knew each other well.

"They knew of him and they knew there was an issue between these two parties to the extent they are not sure, but it was known there were issues between the two parties," Detective Michael Bohannon with the Fayetteville Police Department told ABC11.

Neighbors like Irvin said Spruill has had issues with other residents in the area and even damaged their property.

"Cars, car windows, today the back doors. He's even gotten aggressive with the maintenance guys," said Irvin.

Hepburn was charged with voluntary manslaughter. He was taken to jail and released on a $100,000 unsecured bond.

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