David Bullock

Do you know who murdered David Bullock?
David Barry Bullock, known to his loved ones as “Butch,” was a 27-year-old African-American man living in Durham, North Carolina. His life was tragically cut short in the spring of 1997, leaving a void in his family that has never been filled. In the years since his death, his mother, Diane Peak Jones, has remembered her son while channeling her profound grief into a mission to help other families navigate the same devastating loss. She has become a volunteer and chair of the Durham chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, offering support to those navigating the frustrating and painful aftermath of violence.

On the morning of Tuesday, March 25, 1997, violence found David inside a rooming house at 614 Queen Street in Durham's East Durham neighborhood. According to police, an unknown individual walked into the boarding house and shot David three times in the head. The motive for the attack has never been officially determined, but investigators have long believed the homicide was likely drug-related. For years, Diane struggled with the stigma surrounding her son's drug addiction and the circumstances of his death, but she came to realize that no matter the situation, he was her son, and his loss was a permanent pain.

First responders found David gravely wounded but still alive. He was rushed to Duke Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition. His mother, Diane, sat by his hospital bed, holding his hand as he clung to life. She quietly recited the 23rd Psalm to give herself strength, and she felt his grip tighten in response. It was a final, fleeting connection before he succumbed to his injuries. The image of her son's head, swollen from the trauma, is one she would never forget.

The Durham Police Department immediately launched an investigation. A few hours after the shooting, around 12:30 p.m., officers received a tip that a suspect was hiding in an abandoned house just a block and a half from the crime scene. The department’s Selective Enforcement Team surrounded the house on Oakwood Avenue, blocking off streets and preparing for a confrontation. The standoff lasted for five hours, during which police deployed tear gas and a flash-bang grenade before storming the residence. The search, however, came up empty; the suspect was not there.

In the years and decades that followed, David Bullock's case grew cold. It is one of more than 150 unsolved homicides in Durham, with 95 of those, including David's, occurring during the 1990s, a decade marked by a surge in crack cocaine and related violence. Investigators have continued to ask for information about the shooting, the other residents of the 614 Queen Street rooming house in March 1997, and David's activities in the days leading up to his murder. Delois West, a longtime investigator with the Durham Police Homicide Unit, has worked on the case and developed a relationship with David's mother, expressing her hope that one day she can make the call to tell her the killer has been found.

The case remains unsolved. Diane Peak Jones continues to honor her son's memory through her advocacy work, helping other parents who have lost children to violence. In 2017, nearly 20 years after David's death, she participated in a community gathering to remember victims of violence in Durham. "Murder is so devastating to families," she said. "I can't save him, but I can help somebody else's child." As of the latest reports, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made.

Investigators are still seeking information that could lead to a breakthrough in the case. Durham CrimeStoppers urges anyone with knowledge about the murder of David "Butch" Bullock to come forward. Tips can be submitted by calling 919-683-1200.