
BENSON, North Carolina (N.C.)—Authorities in the U.S. state of North Carolina are investigating the death of a 57-year-old Liberian national found dead in the backseat of a vehicle in Johnston County early Sunday morning.
The deceased, identified as Emmanuel Kwame Gbedee, previously served as an aide to the late Mabutu Nyenpan, former public works minister.
At approximately 1:06 a.m., the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and the N.C. State Highway Patrol received two separate reports regarding a suspicious individual and a vehicle in the 2500 block of Holly Grove Road. One caller alerted the sheriff’s office about a man dressed in all-black clothing seen walking outside a nearby shelter.
Another caller reported a vehicle in the same area with its hazard lights on, raising concerns that it may have been involved in an accident.
Upon arrival, a trooper discovered Gbedee’s body in the backseat of the vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound.
A crime scene has been established, and the sheriff’s office is treating Gbedee’s death as a homicide. As of 11:30 a.m. on Monday, no suspects have been identified, and the investigation is ongoing.