Nakea Latasha Brooks was 27 and pregnant when she was found shot to death in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on May 16, 2022. She and her boyfriend, 33-year-old Marchellous Braddy, were discovered by Fayetteville Police inside a house on Aftonshire Drive; neither victim lived at that address and Brooks was reportedly visiting Braddy, the father of her unborn child, at the time.

Police identified 29-year-old Rhaim Mosies Santiago as the suspect. He was later involved in a manhunt that ended in Smithfield, North Carolina, when he drove into an apartment building while attempting to evade officers, exchanged gunfire with police, and was found dead in a field. Santiago had been facing charges that included two counts of first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Brooks’ family described her as a mother, daughter, and friend and spoke about the senselessness of the killing and the need for support to prevent further violence. The police said the attack was not random, though the exact circumstances remain unclear. If anyone knew Nakea, Marchellous, or has information about what happened, please come forward.