On December 17, 2023, at about 4:30 p.m., officers responding to Interstate 440 between Glenwood Avenue and Western Boulevard found a white cargo van riddled with bullet holes and the driver, 44-year-old Robert Matthew Williams of Raleigh, deceased at the scene. Investigators sought a gray SUV or crossover seen near the scene; a driver of that vehicle was located and interviewed the following day but, as of December 19, 2023, no charges had been filed.

Williams worked as a handyman in the Raleigh and Chapel Hill areas and was remembered by friends and clients for his generosity and upbeat demeanor — often bringing doughnuts or sweets to job sites when children were present. He is survived by his partner, Jay Maldonado, and family in the Triangle and Baltimore. A GoFundMe was set up to assist his family.

The community continues to seek answers. Anyone with information or video from the area between 4 p.m. and 4:25 p.m. on December 17 is asked to contact the Raleigh Police Department at 919-996-3335 or Crime Stoppers at 919-996-1193.