On September 2, 2023, at about 1:32 p.m., officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert near Mallard Avenue and Neville Street and found 59-year-old Joseph Leon Roberts suffering from a gunshot wound at East End Park in the 1200 block of North Alston Avenue. Roberts was taken to a hospital and later died from his injuries.

Investigators identified 24-year-old Durham resident Kenneth Heath as a suspect and, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Task Force, apprehended him on Golden Crest Drive. Heath was charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail. Police described the incident as isolated and did not disclose a motive; they continue to seek information from the public.

Anyone with details is asked to contact Investigator L. Sprinkle at 919-560-4440 ext. 29248 or CrimeStoppers at 919-683-1200, which offers up to $2,000 for information leading to arrests; tips may be submitted anonymously. Have readers in the area seen or heard anything related to the shooting?