Local News

Air Force veteran killed during robbery in Goldsboro on Memorial Day weekend

Alexander Thomas was killed during a robbery at the Family Dollar on Wayne Memorial Drive in Goldsboro. Thomas, 46, was a manager at the store.

Posted 2023-05-29T01:53:41+00:00 - Updated 2023-05-30T10:46:07+00:00

Family Dollar manager shot, killed in store robbery

A veteran was shot and killed in a store robbery over the weekend in Wayne County.

According to police, two people robbed the Family Dollar at 1403 Wayne Memorial Drive in Goldsboro on Sunday afternoon. During the robbery, one of them shot store manager Alexander Thomas, who was working a cash register during the robbery.

Thomas was taken to UNC Health Wayne, where he died from his injuries. Thomas, 46, was an Air Force veteran.

Police caught both people, identified as Yiheim Quishown Fryar, 20, and Aaron Taiwan Coppedge, 24, and charged each with one count of armed robbery and an open count of murder.

Both men are currently being held at the Wayne County Detention Center under no bond.

Thomas' girlfriend, Terra Althoff, was crushed by what happened.

"It’s not fair what happened to him," Althoff said. "He didn’t deserve this. He had so much going, he was working so hard ... it’s just been a really long night."