The suspects in custody are Ezavia Allen, 18; Marvin Johnson, 17; and Cameron Morris, 17. Each have been charged with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon.
At 4:02 a.m. Thursday, Raleigh police officers responded to a shooting call at
500 Dacian Road
. When officers arrived, they found the victim, Shirley Newkirk, 63, inside the house.
She was declared dead at the scene, police said. Newkirk was apparently shot while in her car but managed to get back inside before collapsing.
Police said that Newkirk was in her car and getting ready to go meet friends for a regular early-morning walk. They said it was a random act and the motive was robbery.
The 911 call was placed by the Newkirk's husband, who apparently was awakened and found her, police said. It is a loss for her neighbors on Dacian Road and also at Brentwood Elementary where she taught first grade for several years.
"She was so dear to our children and to our parents and to all of us as teachers," teacher Jan Cardenas.
"[Newkirk was] a very good neighbor. If you need something, they were there. If you talk to them, there were there -- just great people," neighbor Geraldine Holloway said.
According to a statement from the Raleigh Police Department, the attempted murder and attempted robbery charges stem from an unrelated incident that occurred in the 1100 block of East Lane Street at approximately 3:15 a.m.
Johnson and Morris were detained following a traffic stop shortly after Newkirk was murdered. Allen fled the scene of the traffic stop and was taken into custody Thursday afternoon, police said.
The suspects are scheduled to appear in court Friday. Newkirk leaves behind a husband and two daughters.
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