Clayton police offer reward to find teen charged with murder

Police said Cortaz Quemel Lucas Jr., 17, shot Robert Lee Horton several times in the chest while the two argued inside Horton’s home at the Atla Mobile Home Park about 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Horton died later at WakeMed.

Lucas has had several addresses in the past year in Johnston County. He most recently lived at 114 Dennis Way in Clayton. He also has a criminal record as a juvenile and was wanted on a probation violation at the time Horton was shot. He was on probation for assault and kidnapping charges.

Investigators have obtained warrants charging Lucas with first-degree murder in Horton’s death, but they have been unable to locate him.

“Our detectives and officers have combined forces with several neighboring agencies and have been working around the clock to bring this young man in,” Stacy Beard, spokeswoman for the Town of Clayton, said in a statement. “They’ve searched several homes, continue to obtain new search warrants and remain confident they will make an arrest, but are asking for the public’s help to bring justice in this crime.”