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Family remembers slain Cary man as 'devoted father'

Family members, coworkers and friends gathered Friday to mourn the loss of a 72-year-old Cary man who was found dead inside his car at the High House Crossing shopping center on N.C. Highway 55 Saturday morning.

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CARY, N.C. — Family members, coworkers and friends gathered Friday to mourn the loss of a 72-year-old Cary man who was found dead inside his car at the High House Crossing shopping center on N.C. Highway 55 Saturday morning.

Police say the death of Luciano Mariano Andia, of Cary, is the town's first homicide of the year.

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.

Dwight Anthony Blount, 54, of 870 Buckingham Court in Cary, is charged with murder in connection with the incident. Blount was being held in the Wake County jail.

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."

Andia's son, Luciano Manuel Andia described him as a devoted father.

"He did what a man has to do, supposed to do, and that is take care of his family," he said.

Jacqueline Rosciano said she is at a loss as to why anyone would want to hurt her father.

"The way he was taken was not fair," she said. "Somebody took him away from us and he was not ready to go."​

Rosciano said her father came to America 10 years ago from Venezuela. He was determined to start a new life and lived for his family.

"Out of this evil tragedy, someone can be so kind to approach us and tell us, I knew your Dad, he was a kind person, he helped me, so many strangers...they all touch our heart," Rosciano said.

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.

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