Ronald Fetherson

Do you know who murdered Ronald Fetherson?
Neighbors in the McDougald Terrace community in Durham, North Carolina, remembered Ronald Fetherson as a friendly man. A 53-year-old African-American veteran, he was a familiar presence who loved his dog. His life was remembered by his sister, who years after his death expressed her hope that police would find his killer, and by community groups who mourned his violent passing. In a solemn tribute, the Durham chapter of Parents of Murdered Children included Ronald's name on a series of plaques honoring 532 local homicide victims, a testament to a life taken too soon and a family left waiting for justice.

The last time anyone reported seeing Ronald alive was around 8 p.m. on the evening of Saturday, August 29, 2009. The following day, a Sunday, police received a call about a stabbing at his apartment. Officers were dispatched at 8:38 p.m. to 1207 Truman Street, arriving at building 56G to a grim scene. Inside the apartment, they discovered Ronald Fetherson’s body in the living room. He had been brutally stabbed to death, and investigators later revealed that his body had also been mutilated.

The Durham Police Department launched a homicide investigation, working to piece together a timeline and identify a suspect. The initial belief that Ronald lived alone was soon challenged by information suggesting he may have had a roommate at the time of his murder. This lead was complicated by neighbors' recollections of an argument between Ronald and a friend or possible roommate not long before his body was found. One woman who continued to live in the neighborhood years later recalled a specific detail from that night: the incessant barking of Ronald’s dog. With the benefit of hindsight, she came to believe the dog may have been trying to sound an alarm, its desperate cries a witness to its owner's peril.

Detectives also learned from witnesses that at least one suspicious male had been seen near Ronald’s apartment around the time of the killing. Despite these early leads, the case grew cold. For years, there were no arrests and no significant breaks in the investigation, leaving his family and community without answers. His sister’s hope for a resolution was echoed by neighbors who were anxious for an arrest in the shocking murder of the friendly veteran.

More than a decade after Ronald was killed, his case remained an active priority for cold case investigators. In October 2020, the Durham Police Department made a renewed public appeal for help. In an effort to generate new leads, Durham Crime Stoppers announced that a reward was being offered for information leading to the person or persons responsible for Ronald Fetherson's death. This effort aimed to jog the memories of those who might have seen or heard something, no matter how insignificant it may have seemed at the time.

As of October 2020, the murder of Ronald Fetherson remains unsolved, and his killer is still at large. The Durham Police Department continues to seek information from the public that could finally bring closure to his loved ones. Anyone with information is urged to contact the department by calling Sgt. R. Garcia at 919-560-4440, extension 29326, or Investigator D. West at 919-560-4440, extension 29341. To provide information anonymously and be eligible for the reward, tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 919-683-1200.