Crime
Monkey Junction Walmart employee Mark Paz shot and killed in Wilmington, suspect Dean Newman arrested
Newman attempted to flee but was apprehended by deputies in the Walmart parking lot shortly after the shooting.
A tragic incident unfolded at the Monkey Junction Walmart in Wilmington on Saturday around 6 p.m., where an employee, Mark Thomas Paz, was fatally shot.
The District Attorney for New Hanover and Pender Counties, Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson, confirmed on Sunday that charges of first-degree murder have been filed against the suspect, 27-year-old Dean Michael Newman.
According to statements from authorities, Newman was suspected of shoplifting when the confrontation escalated.
Witnesses report that he pulled out a firearm during the incident, firing shots that tragically killed Paz.
Newman attempted to flee but was apprehended by deputies in the Walmart parking lot shortly after the shooting.
He is currently being held in the New Hanover County Detention Facility without bond, with his initial court appearance scheduled for Monday morning.
Fortunately, no other individuals were injured in the altercation.
The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the public is no longer at risk, as Newman was taken into custody promptly.
Crime
17-Year-Old Wyatt Sanders Arrested in Connection with Fatal Shooting of 16-Year-Old Miranda Clements in Vivian
Caddo Parish authorities are continuing their investigation into a fatal shooting that claimed the life of a 16-year-old girl in Vivian, Louisiana, on the evening of Sunday, April 20.
According to officials, officers with the Vivian Police Department responded to reports of a shooting just before 8:30 p.m. at a residence in the 33 block of Pardue Street.
Upon arrival, officers located 16-year-old Miranda Clements lying on the floor inside the home with a gunshot wound to her upper body.
Emergency personnel with Caddo Fire District 8 responded and pronounced the teenager deceased at the scene.
Following the initial response, Vivian police contacted the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office for assistance.
Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office launched a joint investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Authorities initially stated they were working to establish whether foul play was involved.
As part of the investigation, 17-year-old Wyatt Layne Sanders was taken into custody in connection with the incident.
He was booked into the Caddo Parish Correctional Center at 3:07 a.m. on Monday, April 21. According to jail records, Sanders is facing two counts of illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile and one count of negligent homicide.
He remains in custody as of the latest report.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Further details, including the events leading up to the shooting, have not yet been released.