Chandler Tyree Cotton was 19 when he was found with multiple gunshot wounds outside a residence in Sanford, North Carolina, on the evening of September 23, 2021. Emergency medical personnel attempted aid but Chandler was pronounced dead at the scene. The death was classified as a homicide and prompted an investigation by the Sanford Police Department.

In the days after the shooting, investigators arrested a 19-year-old male, Stephen Alexander Buruca-Romero, and charged him in connection with Chandler’s death. He was held in the Lee County Jail without bond while the case proceeded. Chandler’s family remember him for his bright smile, generous nature and the joy he brought to those around him.

Who knew Chandler or has information about the events of September 23, 2021, in Sanford?