AYDEN, N.C. (WNCT) — The suspect in Wednesday night’s double homicide at a convenience store in Ayden was arrested and taken into custody in Durham.
Investigators identified Akyree Ronnell Collins-Smith, 23, of Greenville as the suspect in the shooting deaths of Walter Kyle Irving Cooley, 26, and Keenan Damond Smith, 25, both of Winterville.
Officials said they responded to Le Le Convenient Mart at 4448 Lee Street on Wednesday at 7:14 p.m. in reference to a possible gunshot victim. Officers found two men who had been shot. One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was pronounced dead at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville.
The Ayden Police Department, with the help of Greenville Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, Greenville Police Department’s ERT Team, SBI Criminal Apprehension Team, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Durham Police Department were able to locate Collins-Smith in Durham, where he was taken into custody.
No further information was released on charges as of Friday morning.