Reward money increased to $55K for case of Apex man murdered in Atlantic Beach during fishing trip

APEX, N.C. (WTVD) -- Governor Roy Cooper announced the State is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Randall "Randy" Joseph Miller.

North Carolina's reward is in addition to a CrimeStoppers reward bringing the total offered now up to $55,000.

Miller was on an annual fishing trip with a friend in Atlantic Beach on August 29, 2022, when he was fatally stabbed.

Police believe Miller encountered people breaking into cars as he loaded his boat at 5:45 a.m.

Miller's longtime friend, John McAlpin was inside the house getting ready to fish with Miller at the time. When he left the house, he found his friend stabbed in the driveway.

"When I got there about two or three minutes later he started turning blue and couldn't breathe and told me he was struggling to breathe and passed away," McAlpin said.

"It was just the most tragic thing I've ever had happened to me in my life. I haven't had a good night's sleep since he's gone, and I want them to catch these guys and put them away," McAlpin said.

N.C. State Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case from the Atlantic Beach Police Department. Investigators said they are searching for three suspects and a silver sedan tied to the case.

Sue Miller, Randy's wife of 43 years is hoping the increased reward leads to new tips and an arrest.

"I hope and pray every day that I get that call that that person or people are caught, because I don't want this to happen to another family," Miller said. It's just horrible to have to live this every day.

My husband has been taken away. He was a great person and they're just walking free. They need to be brought to justice and they need to pay for what they did to a wonderful person. And they might do it again," Miller said.

Miller's murder was the first in Atlantic Beach in a decade and only the third in the history of the town.

As a result, council members have since approved more than $200,000 to install traffic cameras. The police chief hopes the cameras will be up and running by the start of the peak beach season in May.

Anyone having information concerning this case should contact the Atlantic Beach Police Department at (252) 726-2523 or the State Bureau of Investigation at (919) 662-4500