Cary murder victim's wife struggles with husband's death
CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A widow is struggling to understand and move on after the murder of her husband.
Seventy-two-year-old Luciano Andia and his wife moved to Cary in hopes of leading a safer life.
"We never thought something like this would happen here," said Trinidad Andia, Luciano's wife. "We come from a country plagued by violence."
Ten years ago, Trinidad and her husband decided to leave Venezuela for good. They moved to Cary in hopes of leading a safer life.
However, on May 9, 72 Luciano Andia was found dead in his 2006 Toyota Corolla parked right outside a Dollar Tree store at the corner of High House Road and N.C. Highway 55.
"I couldn't believe it. I still don't believe it," said Andia. "If I hadn't seen his ashes in the funeral urn, I wouldn't believe he is dead."
According to court documents, Andia suffered blunt force trauma to his face, skull, and at least one hand from an unknown object.
Investigators said Andia was targeted while waiting in the parking lot for his shift to begin at the Dollar Tree. The motive for the crime appears to be a random robbery.
The suspect is Dwight Blount. He has already served three stints in prison, including one for second-degree murder.
"We thought this town was safe," said Andia, "but we can see no place is safe."
Flowers, cards and pictures of the man Andia was married to for 47 years continue to pour in.
"Everyone feels bad about what happened," she said. "He didn't deserve it."
Andia described her husband as a calm man who was focused on his job at Dollar Tree and the American Sexual Health Association at Research Triangle Park.
In his free time, he would stay home with her watching his favorite sports teams on TV, but life as she knew it has changed drastically.
"Completely, like night and day," said Andia. "I wouldn't do anything. I don't drive here. I did everything with him."
Before the incident, Andia said she and her husband were planning for retirement, but now without him, she says she's in a very difficult financial situation. She may now have no other choice but to look for a roommate in order to make ends meet.
