For $837 worth of Home Depot merch, man faces murder charge, life in prison

Hillsborough police said Gary Rasor died weeks after being assaulted by a man on Oct. 18 at the Hillsborough Home Depot where he was an employee. He was 82 at the time of the crime but celebrated a birthday before his death in November.

Arrest warrants show Terry McAnthony McMillian Jr., 26, of Durham, was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree murder and robbery.

On Wednesday, a judge decided to McMillian would be given no bond.

McMillian is due in court next on Feb. 9.

"I have made publicly known we are not seeking the death penalty in any case, and that’s the case for this matter," said District Attorney Jeff Nieman.

Nieman said the maximum possible sentence McMillian could face is life in prison without parole.

"We are very aware of why this case is important to this community the people of this town this county and its important to our office," Nieman said.

Gary Rasor was a favorite among customers at the Home Depot, where most knew him as "Mr. Gary."

"Everyone loves him, he's an outstanding individual," Andy Simmons with Hillsborough police said at the time. "And then somebody does something like this to him just to commit a larceny, it’s absolutely ridiculous."

His family told WRAL News he was supposed to come home for Christmas and the family was planning on taking a vacation with all the grandchildren.

Rasor was working at the Home Depot on Hampton Pointe in Hillsborough when a shoplifter shoved him to the concrete floor.

Surveillance footage shows the thief walking past Gary and pushing him down on his way out the door of the garden center with stolen merchandise on his cart. Arrest warrants show the pressure washers he stole were valued at $837.

His son said the footage is disturbing.

“This is 100% planned, and to include violence for a couple of power washers, it’s almost beyond comprehension," Jeff Rasor said.

Gary Rasor was left with several fractured bones, and spent weeks in the hospital. He was never able to walk again.

His wife said his condition quickly took a turn for the worst.

“What hurts me the most is Gary was fine," Yovonne Rasor said. "He was not upset. He was upbeat until he saw the video, and he lost it. It was a trauma. That’s what the doctors have already said; the trauma caused the acceleration of fibrosis.”