Daniel Pressley, 29, was found dead at the Emerald Forest Apartment complex in Durham, North Carolina, on May 1, 2020, around 5 p.m. An off-duty Durham police officer who lived at the complex heard gunshots and discovered Pressley on a second-story breezeway with a gunshot wound and 27-year-old Wesley Watkins standing over him.

Pressley and Watkins were roommates and had been arguing about money before the shooting. Watkins admitted to shooting Pressley and later said he wanted the officer to kill him. Watkins then charged at the off-duty officer, who fired two shots, striking Watkins in the abdomen; Watkins was taken to Duke Hospital and charged with murder in Pressley’s death. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Durham Police Department’s Professional Standards Division opened investigations, and the officer was assigned to administrative duties pending their outcomes.

Pressley’s family and friends remembered him for his love of music, cooking, and conversation. He was a self-taught keyboardist, guitarist, and violinist, wrote and produced music, and performed with a group called The Koolest, which had a Carolina Music Award nomination in the Best Group category. If anyone knew Daniel or has information about the events that led to his death, please come forward.