Raleigh Police Seek New Leads in Unsolved Homicide

RALEIGH, N.C. — Police renewed their request Wednesday for information in the April 27 slaying of a man found shot outside his North Raleigh apartment building.

Timothy David "Knotty" Barnwell, 34, was found outside the building at Windsor Falls Apartments on Sunbow Falls Lane at about noon after witnesses reported hearing three or four gunshots. He died at WakeMed.

Police have followed numerous leads in the investigation and detectives continue to follow up on information, police spokesman Jim Sughrue said in an e-mail news release.

"Often, seemingly insignificant facts prove to be vitally important to solving cases," Sughrue said. "Everyone aware of any information relating to the victim and potentially relating to the crime is urged to come forward."

Police believe Barnwell was the intended victim of a robbery at his home and that his ankles and wrists were bound at the time.

But they think he attempted to flee by jumping over the balcony. Once on the ground, police said, he apparently tried to crawl to safety but was shot multiple times.

Police have a description of an assailant, who they describe as a well-groomed black male with medium skin tone, weighing about 160 to 170 pounds and standing about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall.

The person was was wearing a dark-colored baseball cap, a dark-colored shirt with the word “SECURITY” in white letters on its front, a dark-colored jacket that was slightly longer than waist length, and dark-colored cargo-style pants.

He fled the scene in a medium-size burgundy car of unknown make, police said.

Anyone with information that might assist the investigation of the case is asked to call the Raleigh Police Department’s Detective Division at 919-890-3555 or Crime Stoppers at 919-226-CRIME.