On the evening of January 24, 2026, 55-year-old Daryl Ellison of Thomasville, North Carolina, was shot and killed outside the Sheetz at 1810 Liberty Drive. Thomasville Police found Ellison with an apparent gunshot wound at about 6:24 p.m.; he was pronounced dead at the scene. Family described him as a man who helped his family, friends and the wider community and who was a familiar presence to many.

Detectives identified 50-year-old Leon Marcel Marsh of Lexington as a suspect. Marsh voluntarily surrendered that same evening to the Lexington Police Department and was charged with one count of murder. Prosecutors say Marsh suspected Ellison of having an affair with his wife and accuse him of shooting Ellison multiple times, including in the head. Marsh is being held at the Davidson County jail without bond; a judge has ordered no contact with Ellison’s family and a next court date was set for February 9, 2026.

If anyone witnessed the shooting outside the Liberty Drive Sheetz or has information about the events leading up to it, please share what is known.