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Cary man charged in town's first homicide of 2015

A 54-year-old man was charged late Sunday in connection with the death of a 72-year-old man who was found dead inside his car at the High House Crossing shopping center on N.C. Highway 55, Cary police said.

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CARY, N.C. — A 54-year-old man was charged late Sunday in connection with the death of a 72-year-old man who was found dead inside his car at the High House Crossing shopping center on N.C. Highway 55, Cary police said.

Dwight Anthony Blount, of 870 Buckingham Court in Cary, is charged with murder in the death of Luciano Mariano Andia. Blount was being held without bond in the Wake County jail early Monday.

"We hope this arrest brings some measure of closure to Mr. Andia's family," Cary police Capt. Randall Rhyme said in a statement. "We appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in bringing the suspect into custody so quickly."

Police discovered Andia's body at about 7 a.m. Saturday, but they have released few details about the injuries that led to his death. A witness who found Andia and called 911 said the man had been shot. Authorities have not released any information about a possible motive for the crime.

Blount has a criminal history dating back to 1981, when he served eight years in prison for second-degree kidnapping, according to state records. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 1994 and released in 2006.

Blount's most recent conviction was for felony breaking and entering in 2009. He served eight months.

Andia's body has been sent to the state medical examiner's office for an autopsy.

His neighbors described him as a kind, gentle man who was still working at his age to support his family in the United States and his native Venezuela.

"It is so sad he was shot here in America," Natalia Semishkina said. "They came here looking for a better place to live, and they found such a tragic end."

Glenys Bailey said he worked the early shift at the Dollar Tree in the shopping center and often arrived before his start time to make sure he wasn't late. He would sit in his car and read a book or newspaper while waiting for the store to open.

"He was a very, very loving, caring family man," Bailey said. "It's very, very tragic, and we just hope they can get some help."

A spokesman for Dollar Tree declined to comment, citing respect for the family's privacy.

Andia also worked in the call center of American Sexual Health Association at Research Triangle Park, connecting people with social services and providing some couseling. His coworkers have established a GoFundMe page to help raise money for his family.

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