Trooper Raymond Earl Worley
North Carolina Highway Patrol
North Carolina
End of Watch: Tuesday, May 14, 1985

Biographical Info
Age: 44
Tour of Duty: 23 years
Badge Number: A-147

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Tuesday, May 14, 1985
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death

Trooper Worley was shot and killed after stopping a van. During the stop he placed the driver of the vehicle in his patrol car. A second van then pulled up at the scene and the driver of that van approached Trooper Worley. He then produced a handgun and shot Trooper Worley. The man turned out to be the brother of the person Trooper Worley had detained. The two were driving vans filled with stolen property from a grocery store they had broken into in Pender County.

Four suspects were ultimately arrested and three were convicted of accessory to murder and possession of stolen property. The shooter was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death on December 5, 1985. The death sentence was overturned by a U.S. Circuit court in February 2003. His sentence was commuted to life in prison on July 20, 2006.

The other three suspects were sentenced to 9 to 10 years. One was released from prison on October 1, 1990. The other two were released on Febuary 9, 1992, and September 13, 1993.


Trooper Worley was assigned to Troop A in Halifax County.