Family, friends come together to remember Raleigh man killed during Craigslist meetup
Friends and family are remembering a Raleigh man who died a year ago this week.
Law enforcement said William Anderson "Andy" Banks Jr., 39, was meeting a potential buyer he met through Craigslist to sell his 2011 Range Rover Sport when he was murdered last September. Justin Merritt, 34, of Danville, Va., was charged with murder in Banks' death.
Now, the Raleigh community is honoring Banks and his family's fight for justice.
"Andy is gone, and we are here to celebrate his life," said his mother, Robin Banks.
Robin Banks, along with friends and extended family, gathered at Dorothea Dix Park on Sunday to remember Andy Banks.
"Andy was always up -- ?? , he was non-judgmental [and] he didn't have a bad thing to say about anybody," described Robin Banks.
Last September, a week after Andy Banks was reported missing, authorities found his body and his car in Chatham, Va. After finding his cellphone along Interstate 40 in Raleigh, investigators traced the Craigslist buyer's phone to Danville. Danville police found Andy Banks' SUV under a tarp parked behind a vacant building in town, according to an application for a search warrant.
Merritt, who lives a few doors down from where the vehicle was found, was also charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, larceny of a motor vehicle and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the stolen vehicle, according to the warrant application.
During a search of Merritt's home, police seized a handgun, some ammunition, a knife, three phones and a pair of cargo pants, according to the search warrant.
Chatham is about 20 miles north of Danville.
While Banks' family didn't want to talk about Merritt on Sunday, they did say the Raleigh community has been a great source of comfort to them.
"We get letters, phone calls and flowers that just let us know that people are still supporting us, and that makes all the difference," Robin Banks said.
Andy Banks' father, Bill, said if they could learn anything from his son's death it would be to be more cautious during online business exchanges and ask for more information upfront so that friends and family know who you are meeting.
"I would like to encourage everyone to get the potential buyer to get and send a copy of their license," he added. "Had we done that, we might have had a different outcome from my son's event."
Several Triangle police departments said sellers and buyers should make transactions in their police department parking lot, which is a safe and secure location.
Merritt’s court proceedings are still ongoing.
