Investigation Continues in Convenience Store Slaying

Raleigh, N.C. — Police investigating the death of a woman found inside a Raleigh convenience store are looking into other crimes to see if similarities or links may exist.

Stephanie Powell Anderson, 39, was killed inside the Trade Wilco convenience store on Thursday.

Family members said Anderson, who was the store manager, opened the store each day at 4:30 a.m. and that her boyfriend found her slumped behind the counter. They said she had been shot.

Police responded to a "hold-up" alarm at 5:01 a.m., authorities said. Officers arrived at 5:07 a.m.

Saturday morning investigators set up a traffic checkpoint along Trawick Road near the Trade Wilco convenience store.

Specifically, they were looking to talk to people who were in the area any time between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.

"The investigation is making progress, but I would continue to stress that we need to hear from people if they have information that would help," Raleigh police spokesman Jim Sughrue said.

Sughrue said it was still early in the investigation to comment on the specifics of the case but said the checkpoint "was helpful."

"People certainly want to know what happened out there," Sughrue said. "But it simply would not be in the best interest of the investigation to divulge too much information right now."

Sources have told WRAL-TV the incident is believed to be a botched robbery attempt.

Robberies are on the rise in Raleigh. More than 170 robberies were reported in the first two months of this year. The numbers are a 50 percent increase over the same time last year.

Anyone with information about Anderson’s shooting is asked to call the Raleigh Police Department’s Detective Division at 919-890-3555 or Crime Stoppers at 919-226-CRIME.