The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig, laboratory access at Raleigh science museum

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Athens Drive Magnet High School and Conn Magnet Elementary School won national awards Saturday at the Magnet Schools of America's annual conference.

Top two magnet schools in the US are in Wake County

Athens Drive High School

Demario James Atwater, 22, was indicted Monday on a charge of carjacking resulting in death, which could allow federal authorities to seek a death sentence.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — A federal grand jury has indicted one of two suspects in the slaying of UNC-Chapel Hill's former student body president.

Demario James Atwater, 22, was <a href="https://legacy.wral.com/news/local/document/3829570/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicted Monday</a> on a charge of carjacking resulting in death, which could allow federal authorities to seek a death sentence.

Chapel Hill police have charged Atwater, and Laurence Alvin Lovette Jr., 17, with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the March 5 shooting death of Eve Marie Carson, 22, of Athens, Ga.

Police investigators believe Atwater and Lovette kidnapped Carson and forced her to withdraw $1,400 from ATMs before shooting her five times, including once in the head with a sawed-off shotgun.

Federal authorities began looking at the case in April to determine whether to file federal carjacking charges, which can carry the death sentence if prosecutors can prove the crime was committed during a homicide.

U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey must approve seeking a death sentence in the federal case. Prosecutors said Monday he has yet to do so.

Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall has said he will seek the death penalty against Atwater, but juries there have rarely sentenced defendants to death row.

Lovette is ineligible for the death penalty  under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling because he is under age 18 at the time of the crime of which he is accused.

Death penalty cases are rare in federal cases, according to former federal prosecutor Dan Boyce.

Since 1977, there have been three cases where federal prisoners have been executed, including Timothy McVeigh for his role in the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

Eve Carson murder suspect indicted on federal charges

Demario James Atwater

We have one anomaly in the overall lovely spring weather this week. There is about a 50 percent chance for showers on Wednesday afternoon.

Showers in store Wednesday as cold front approaches☔

Rain chances Wednesday

Dozens of people are being forced to leave a homeless encampment on a strip of land along the Raleigh and Garner border, not far from the highway.

'Nowhere else to go:' Dozens forced out of homeless encampment along highway near Raleigh 

'Nowhere else to go:' Dozens living in encampment by Garner highway forced to move

At 12:11 a.m., the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to Pyrates Sports Bar at 651 W. Manchester Road in Spring Lake for a stabbing.

Man dies after stabbing at sports bar in Cumberland County

Crime scene do not cross tape

Students told WRAL News they heard multiple gunshots on the campus of Shaw University in downtown Raleigh on Tuesday.

74-year-old charged with shooting at man on Shaw University campus, police say

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From protecting windows to securing your yard, learn how to prepare your North Carolina home during hurricane season.

Hurricane-proof your NC home: Essential steps to weather the storm

Hurricane damage at Holden Beach

WRAL-TV News Broadcasts: Watch each newscast live or watch the most recent newscast on demand.

WRAL Late News 

WRAL Noon News

Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast

Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Tuesday and Friday Mega Millions Drawing.

Mega Millions Drawing

School safety is a key issue for many people in North Carolina, and the subject is top-of-mind as the state heads toward the November elections. WRAL's coverage of the 2024 election includes unedited livestreams of candidate appearances, full interviews and fact-checks of statements on issues voters tell us they care about most.

Republican state schools superintendent candidate Michele Morrow hosts campaign event on school safety

Videos

The Carolina Hurricanes scored 5 unanswered goals to steal Game 2 at home on Monday. What the win could mean for their ultimate goal this postseason, NFL Draft talk and more!

Canes magic, the Drake Maye debate and Uncle MJ in the sports moments of the week

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Trailing 9-4 in the top of the seventh inning, No. 7 Duke (29-11, 13-8 ACC) rallied to score nine runs over the final three frames including four home runs to down No. 23 Virginia Tech (25-12, 12-9 ACC), 13-10, and earn its first series victory in Blacksburg, Va., since 2018. 

No. 7 Duke Rallies to Stun No. 23 Virginia Tech

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The Minnesota Vikings need a quarterback in this draft. That much is easy to see. The hard part is picking the right one -- and determining what it's worth to them to get him.

NFL teams often misfire on drafting QBs. But how often do they fail? And why?

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Since his final NBA season playing for the Dallas Mavericks in 2021, JJ Redick has served as an analyst and basketball commentator for ESPN. 

Duke legend JJ Redick to interview for Hornets head coaching job, report says

JJ Redick and other Duke greats were honored at halftime during the Duke vs. Maryland game pm Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. (Photo by: Will Bratton)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- The Carolina Hurricanes were down big at home in the NHL playoffs, playing desperate hockey full of withering long shifts in the offensive zone as they tried to rally.

Eve Carson murder suspect indicted on federal charges

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