Ivan Cortez, 19, of Johnston County, was found dead on December 3, 2022, in a roadway outside Wallace, North Carolina. The Duplin County Sheriff’s Office reported Cortez had suffered apparent gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation led to the arrest of Mount Olive resident Zion Vann, who was charged with an open count of murder. Vann was involved in an accident near Faison on the same day Cortez’s body was discovered. Evidence recovered from a dark gray Dodge Magnum linked Vann to the scene; detectives interviewed witnesses before taking him into custody. Vann is being held in Duplin County without bond.

Services for Cortez were held December 10, 2022, at Shiloh Christian Center in Smithfield, followed by interment at Price Cemetery. The investigation remains ongoing. Does anyone have information about Cortez, the vehicle, or movements near Wallace and Faison on December 3, 2022?